


Fool's Gold

by fxcknouiam



Series: i'm not done yet, falling for your fools gold [1]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Abuse, Age Difference, Blow Jobs, Cheating, Consensual Infidelity, Domestic Violence, Drug Use, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Girl niall, Larry Stylinson Is Real, Manipulation, Mentions of drugs, Niall-centric, Oral Sex, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pregnancy, Pregnant Niall, Recreational Drug Use, Rich Zayn Malik, Sexual Content, Smut, Theyre in America, Unplanned Pregnancy, girl louis, lying, shot girl louis, shot girl niall, side Sophiam - Freeform, unprotected sex, ziall
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-06
Updated: 2015-08-16
Packaged: 2018-04-08 00:46:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 40,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4284228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fxcknouiam/pseuds/fxcknouiam
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Niall's a gold digger and Zayn's got plenty of that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> messy and dysfunctional just like I like it

Niall has the best life for a twenty three year old. Her job fucking rules, she lives with her best friend, and she's single with no kids, so there's nothing tying her down or holding her back from partying, which is essentially her job. 

Niall had woken up no more than twenty seconds before Louis bangs her door open, holding a steamy mug Niall already knows isn't for her. 

"Haz wants us in gold tonight." Is all she says before walking away without shutting the door. 

Liam's hand jerked away from Niall's crotch upon Louis' entrance. When Niall looks at him he's blushing and pouting, clutching the duvet to his chest. She laughs at him. 

"She's rude." He complains. Niall nods in agreement, though she's fond of Louis' grumpiness by now. She's up before noon though, so that explains it.

"How can you live with that? Total lack of respect for privacy." This time his hands on her hip, pulling her to cuddle and apparently abandoning his earlier plans. 

For which she's grateful for. If he'd woken her up with cunninglus, well now that'd be a different story, but last night she took two rounds of pounding while she held herself up on her hands and knees, her twats a bit sore this morning. 

He's not exactly small, he's not even average. In fact Liam's cock is wider than the circle her thumb and /middle finger/ makes and probably as long as her forearm. If it wasn't there really wouldn't be any other reason for her to keep up this "relationship" with Liam. Sure he's nice enough, but financially he's only good for her phone bill and Chinese takeout. She's looking for someone to take care of her if she's going to settle down. Plus, there's that thing where Liam's kind of already married. 

So, yeah. He's a good time but Niall's probably going to have to set some boundaries about him staying the night, especially since he pouts and furrows his brows when her phone rings. 

"Who is it?" He peers over her shoulder as she silences the device and tosses it back to the floor. 

"Sophia, she said it's time for you to go home." Niall smiles, fluttering her flashes to feign innocence. 

"Ha-ha very funny. Was it a guy?" Liam Payne frowns his trademark Liam Payne frown. 

It was indeed a guy, a guy she met last night who said he'd take her shopping with his unlimited credit card. If he was bluffing for her number, well she'll just block his calls like she does the rest- the rest who get too serious or suddenly stop showering her with expensive gifts. She doesn't have time for cheapskates that aren't Liam Payne, hell she's barely got the patience for him. 

"No baby it wasn't a guy. Unlike some people I like to stick to one spouse at a time." Niall pinches his cheeks and gives his pouted full lips a chaste kiss. 

Liam, God bless his heart believes Niall when she says she's in love with him. He says it back, whether he means it or not she doesn't care to find out. Probably not, considering he's never brought up leaving Sophia. If he did Niall would have to find a way to break it off immediately, probably join the witness protection program or some shit. 

"You're a good girl, sometimes I forget that." Liam sighs, laying his head on her shoulder. 

Yeah, definitely no more sleep overs. It's hard to pretend to be in love this early in the morning without the promise of mimosas. 

"You probably have to get going soon, huh? Current Missus Payne is probably wondering why you left at four in the morning and still aren't back." 

And Niall would quite like some more sleep before work tonight, and the pre-work drinks beforehand. She's got a busy night every night Thursday-Sunday. It's Friday, she's needs a rest up. 

"Nah, I made up some shit fib about Andy. She's at work by now." 

Niall pictures him in bed with his wife, who's beyond gorgeous, when he gets Niall's text. Seeing Liam lie though, that's something she can't imagine. The thought alone amuses her. 

"Should go soon though, gotta get fitted for my new running shoes." He says like that's a completely normal thing to make an appointment for. It's not even like he's rich enough to do that kind of stupid shit, what actually is his life.

"Mmmm, no." Niall fake pouts, already rolling out of bed to put a top on. "Make me and Lou breakfast before you go?" 

Liam can never say no to her sad blue eyes. Hell, nobody can. That's her advantage. 

Well, those and her tits. 

***

"Woooow, not what I was expecting but wooow!" Harry compliments when Niall and Louis walk into the back room for pre-drinks. 

The girls chose the same gold rhinestoned bra, except Niall's had a string of yellow and white flowers crossing over the top. Bigger flowers cover her white bottoms, Louis' matches her top too. 

Harry's eyes narrow at Louis' gold and black belly button ring, sucking in a sharp breath. The girl just smirks and pours herself and Niall a shot. 

Louis practically gags when the vodka goes down, Niall just scrunchs her nose a little. It's actually not that bad, a squirt of lime and she could drink that all night. 

"Why are we in gold, Styles?" Niall asks, pulling him from his daze of eye fucking Louis. 

Harry's in a gold button up shirt that's got about two buttons done and black leggings. Or maybe jeggings, but they aren't jeans. They're too form fitting. 

He's not even their boss, he's just the DJ, but sometimes he has suggestions and nine times out of ten said suggestions get the girls more tips. He's exceptionally fashionable for a straight guy. Straight is used loosely, of course. Harry's a bit... wavy. 

"Mmm," Harry hums, obviously glad someone asked about his /brilliant/ plan. "We're expecting a bit of a different crowd. A little older I suppose. A producer reserved like four booths." He shrugs. 

Niall wonders how old is /older/ as she pours another double shot. She's twenty three, Louis' a year older than her, Harry's barely twenty two. But Liam's twenty eight, and she's had a few shopping "dates" with men in their thirties. Old can be anything older than Harry though, in his opinion. So. 

The club opens at ten, and while there's always a line waiting at the door the real crowd doesn't show up until an hour or so later. 

They're not supposed to drink on the floor, but Ben isn't out there yet so Niall has Mani make her a Red Bull and vodka before it gets too busy. 

"He wants you to start with these," Mani puts the round tray filled with rainbow colored shots on the bar. "After that we got a tonne extra Jager to get rid of." 

Twenty minutes later Niall was on her way back to the bar, empty tray in one hand and a stack of surprisingly crisp bills in the other. Usually the bills are always crumpled and sweaty, these look brand new. 

"Hey," a hand on her waist stops her less than four feet away from her destination. 

"Hey, I'm out of shots." She waves the empty tray at the man. He doesn't have a neck and he's full of sweat, he'd be the perfect kind of pathetic pray she'd flirt with for gifts or money if he wasn't wearing Ed Hardy. Dead give away that he's either cheap or poor and don't even get her started on his plastic watch. Honestly. 

"Fuck the shots, come chill with me. I got a couple bottles, I can show you a good time." Behind him a group of men are watching them, smiling and clinking their glasses. They're all better dressed than him, so there's some potential there. 

"Alright, just let me-" Niall holds up the money and the tray, nodding to the bar. He follows her the whole way, then leads her towards his booth with a slimy hand on her back. 

"I'm Naughty Boy, are you a naughty girl?" So /that's/ who he is. He looked vaguely familiar, his pick up line/ chat up approach is embarrassing and not as smooth as it should be for someone who calls himself Naughty Boy. 

Niall laughs, shrugging. "Maybe." 

"Here, sit here baby." Naughty Boy gestures for someone to scoot over in the booth and pulls her to sit there. The group is mostly men, there are only three other women with them. 

Most of the men stare at Niall, smiling. It's weird. 

Naughty Boy seems to have disappeared, probably out to recruit more girls. This is the most pathetic thing Niall's seen in a really long time, and Liam was in her bed this morning. 

"How much for a dance?" A guy, a really good looking guy she definitely hadn't noticed before leans over table to ask her. He's sitting in a chair smoking some sort of cigar, his hands littered with tattoos. They seem to go all the way up his arm, his white button up shirt is rolled to his elbows. 

"I'm not a dancer." Niall licks her teeth, the bottom of her tongue ring rolls over her bottom lip. Satisfied when his eyes track the movement. 

"How much to take you home for the night then?" 

The question catches her off guard, no man has ever been so straightforward and upfront about it. She's all for making money but she isn't exactly a prostitute. 

"Pretty boy like you would actually pay for it?" Niall laughs, disbelieving. This man is gorgeous, he's probably married. They're always married. 

The man holds eye contact with her the entire time, a small smile forms on his pink lips. 

"Baby, I'd give this Rolex to come on your face." 

She glances down at his wrist watch. It appears to be white gold and she gets a feeling in her belly that it isn't a knock off. Maybe it's the sharp but soft features of his handsome face or the way his words come out smoother than warm butter, but something about him screams wealthy. Rich. Important. /Royal./

Composing herself, she looks back at his face and good god she really hopes he's actually this beautiful and it's not the alcohol in her blood or the dim flashing lights that make him look like a runway model had Jesus's baby. 

"It's not my size." 

The man's smile quickly drops to annoyed look, tonguing his cheek. He obviously isn't used to being told no, though Niall hasn't exactly told him no. But she hasn't said yes either, and it shows on his face that that doesn't please him. 

"But you're my size, so give me an answer before I get bored of you." 

Called it. 

"What's your name?" Niall asks instead. 

"Unimportant." He snaps. 

"Oh I have a feeling you are very, very important."

Unimportant people don't reserve six out of ten booths in a club that changes six fifty a shot, dressed in what she assumes is Armani and a half- or at the very least a quarter million dollar wristwatch. The diamond in his nose stud alone could probably pay her rent for a few months. 

So why isn't she jumping at the opportunity to hop in his over priced douche-mobile that he probably bought because it matches his outfit- because rich people do shit like that? She wants to tell herself it's because she's looking for long term- to hook line and sink him like she did Liam without any actual commitment on her part. She wants him to fall for her and give her credit cards and attention when needed then piss off for the rest of the week. She tells herself it's about the money, it's a new tactic to get more out of him. In reality, it's because she's intrigued. 

"Okay Mr. Unimportant, I'm off at three thirty and out of here by four. If you're still around, maybe we can negotiate over an early breakfast." 

Niall doesn't stick around for his answer, just slides out of the booth and sways her hips extra hard on her way to the bar. Louis will probably give her shit later for having to pick up the extra slack. 

***

As expected Mr. Unimportant wasn't there when she left, and for some odd reason she felt a small unfamiliar twinge of disappointment. That... just won't do for her. 

"Come to ours for drinks?" Niall leans against the bar to ask Normani and Nick as they wipe the sticky spilled drinks from it. 

"I'm beat babe," Normani shrugs apologetically. 

Niall turns to Nick, who's already looking at her chewing a piece of gum or something like a total douche. Only Nick could make chewing annoying. But, she's running out of options here. 

"Nicky poooooh," 

"Nuh uh," he shakes his big head. "No. You drink too much and I'll be stuck with you when they piss off to go fuck, which is very loud." His quiff jiggles a little when he nods towards Louis and Harry. 

Harry's leaning against a wall with his bottom lip between his teeth, staring down through hooded eyes at Louis while she tells him something. Probably complaining about Niall or some handsy bastard grabbing her ass again. The usual. On the other hand, Louis could be talking about moth balls and Harry would still look at her that. 

"Oh pish posh you dirty hipster, 's not like you got anything better to do!" Niall accuses. 

Nick purses his lips at her. "Raincheck? Gonna have to pass young Nialler." 

Niall groans all the way over to Louis and Harry. She's still got at least three hours until her Adderall wares off and she's going to be so bored, because all Harry and Louis ever do is weird sex stuff. They don't even invite her for threesomes either, and they fucking had one with Nick before so what the fuck. 

"Are you losers ready to go?" 

Louis squawks, offended at the same time Harry grins and nods. 

"Ugh disgusting." She mutters, snatching her long pea coat from Harry. 

"Hazzy tell Niall I'm not a loser!" Louis pouts. Somebody must of bought her shots earlier. 

That happens a lot, guys will buy shots from their tray and ask them to drink with them. They literally get tipped to get drunk. She has the best job in the world. 

"Niall Louis isn't a loser." He obeys somewhat robotic as he puts Louis' coat on her. 

"Um Harry tell Louis she /is/ a loser, because she's an awful best friend /because/- oops sorry!" Niall bumps into someone on their way out the door. She's only a little embarrassed by his happy she is when she looks up and sees Mr. Unimportant peering down at her, bemused. 

"Excuse us, /Pal/, we're trying to walk!" Louis yells at him. Yep, she's definitely drunk.

"Friends of yours?" He asks, side eyeing Louis and Harry.

Niall nods, then turns to see Harry wrapped about a scowling Louis. "I'll meet you guys at the house," 

"You have your phone?" Harry asks, sounding like a concerned parent. 

"Yes dad I have my phone." 

"If she comes back with one less blonde hair on that perfect little angel head I'll have a barbeque of your bits." Louis glares at Mr. Unimportant and twirls her finger wildly pointing to his groin. 

Mr. Unimportant nods, but otherwise remains silent. 

"I'll see you in a little bit, alright? I'll bring you both cookies." Niall grabs Mr. Unimportant's unsurprisingly baby soft hand and leads the way towards the diner. 

"That guy looks like a prick!" They hear Louis yell in what was probably meant to be a whisper. Niall vaguely hears Harry shushing her, she makes a mental note to bring him a hot cocoa for his efforts. 

"You were serious about breakfast then." The mystery man comments, still holding her hand. Niall goes to pull it away and he laces their fingers together. She wills herself /not/ to blush at the intimacy. 

Hand holding is so much more intimate than sex. That's a proven fact. 

"Yeah, this place is open twenty four hours."

When they get to the little restaurant they sit off to the side, across from each other. Niall orders a bunch of shit and sort of regrets it when Mr. Unimportant doesn't order anything. If she knew she was paying for herself she wouldn't have ordered thirty bucks worth of food. 

"You gunna tell me your name any time soon?" Niall asks, twirling a steak fry in ketchup. 

"Depends. Will you tell me yours if I do?" 

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes she shoves the fry in her mouth. He may be beautiful but he's turning out to be the average fuckboy.

"Niall." She chirps. 

"Niall, cute. I'm Zayn." 

Zayn, the name sounds familiar. Just vaguely, she doesn't too much keep up with gossip. Maybe Liam's mentioned him? She won't ask though, because Liam's married and she's not willing to explain she's essentially a side ho. 

"I'm cute or my name is cute?"

/Zayn/ hums. "I don't wait outside of random clubs in dodgy cities for /cute/. Your /name/ is cute, though." 

"Why did you wait though? Seems like a lot of effort for a one night stand." She's... pleased and pleasantly surprised he did wait but it doesn't make sense. He's beautiful and obviously wealthy, what's he doing putting in all this effort for her? She's hot, sure, but there are hot girls everywhere. 

"Are you implying you're not worth the wait?" 

/Not to you/, she thinks. 

"What if I'm not?" She asks instead. 

The waiter arrives with the styrofoam container of cookies and the bill, Zayn waits until he walks away before he speaks. 

"Let me decide that." 

Niall finishes eating and grabs the to go boxes. She's just fishing through her pockets for two twenties when Zayn lays a crisp Benjamin over the bill and takes the boxes, offering his elbow for her hold on to. 

Mr. Unimportant is turning into Mr. Perfect, and Niall isn't sure how she feels about it.


	2. Chapter 2

They- as in parents, teachers, generally every non-perverted adult in society tells you not to get in a strangers car, no matter what they're offering. It didn't even take a bribe of candy to get Niall in Zayn's (as predicted) Bugatti. 

"Where are we going?" Granted, she probably should have asked this /before/ eagerly hopping on in, but. It's five in the morning. That's enough of an excuse. 

"Well, I can take you home," Zayn's thumb rubs a small circle on her thigh where her jacket sort of fell open. "Or if you choose to spend the rest of the morning with me I can take you to my hotel." 

His voice is low and smooth, it reminds her of jazz elevator music. 

"I'm overwhelmed with the options." Niall mutters dryly. "If you took me home, would you still like to spend the rest of the morning with me?" 

He must catch that she's slightly mocking him, that or he's pleased she's at least thinking about fucking him because he tries to hide a small smile. Niall would have missed it had she not been looking directly at his mouth. 

Zayn's lips aren't as pillowy as Liam's, but his mouth is wider and they look ridiculously soft and- woah okay. When did she start comparing other guys to /Liam/? Enough of that. 

"You live alone?" He asks. His voice is slow, his driving is slow, everything about this morning so far is slow... so why is her heart beating so fast? 

He's attractive but he's not interested in her, he's interested in her body and for the first time that doesn't satisfy her. After today does he plan to call her? The fact that she's even thinking about it leaves her disappointed with herself. 

"No, with my friend." And she's ninety nine percent positive Louis and Harry went to their flat rather than Harry's. Louis likes to be cuddled after a good fuck and she likes even more being able to kick them out in the morning. Well, lately there hasn't been so much "them" as much as "him", but Niall's staying out of that. 

Monogamy. Bleh.

"Mm. I prefer to be alone, a bit of privacy." Zayn turns on a highway, collectively picking up speed to about twenty over the limit. 

"Will you take me home when I'm ready to go? I have work tonight, I'll need sleep and time to get ready." 

Zayn blows out a humorless laugh. "If you were mine you'd never know what work is. Women working," he shakes his head. 

Niall stares in awe. To think up until just an hour ago she was calling him "Mr. Unimportant". 

"Oh, you're the type of man who expects women to stay home and take care of the kids and cook and clean all day?" Not that she has /any/ objections to those type of men. 

He side eyes her then switches lanes without checking any of his mirrors. This car could send her to an early retirement even used and here is, treating it like an average old Honda or summat. Disgusting. 

"In my family men take care of women, not because they are unable to do so themselves but because they shouldn't be bothered with something as tedious as work." 

Is this... do men like this actually exist?

Niall clears her throat and turns to look out if her own window so she'll stop /drooling/ as she stares at him. 

"That's very sweet."

Zayn removes his hand from her thigh to turn the radio up a bit, Drake flows through the speakers. Is this guy serious or did Niall pass out somewhere and start hallucinating?

"Do you often pay for sex, or am I special?" She asks, not so much out of curiosity but more of a reminder. It's not really prostitution if she already wanted to fuck him and he offered money, right? Because her mother did not ship her off to America to become some hooker. 

Then again, poor Maura didn't send her to America to drop out if college and become a shot girl who regularly sleeps with a married man for her sixty dollar phone bill and an occasional dinner, but. What mummy doesn't know won't get Niall killed. 

"No." Zayn snaps, faster than his usual voice but still somehow just as quiet. Soft even. 

"To which..."

"I'm not paying you for /sex/." The eye roll is audible. "I'll pay you but it'll be as a thank you, hopefully enough that you won't blog about what we've done on your 2009 Toshiba laptop." 

Wow. Okay, wow. She's not even... She doesn't even /really/ know who he is and-

"What's wrong with Toshiba, buddy?" Niall drops the sugary sweet seductive voice she usually goes for, her Irish accent strong and obviously taken Zayn by surprise. Good. 

And yes! She /does/ have a Toshiba laptop, not that she uses it as she prefers the tablet Rick (or Rich or Ray, whoever he was) so generously gifted her but that is beyond the point. 

"Does your accent always get thicker when you're upset?" He seems amused now, well at least they aren't fighting. It'd be a shame to lose out on money because he offended her out dated electronics. That'd be just silly. 

"Have you already got a room here? Or," Niall peers at the fancy hotel. A man in uniform waits patiently a few feet away from Zayn's door. 

Zayn gets out first, tossing his keys to the man and comes around to open Niall's door. He probably thought she was waiting for him to do that... She couldn't find the handle. 

It's her turn to be taken by surprise when he holds her hand all the way to the elevator. They've already held hands, why is it affecting her like this? She isn't used to having butterflies because of /men/... food, sure. But men? Absolutely not. 

She'd pass it off as gas but that might actually be more embarrassing than her being flustered over a man she met just hours ago. 

When they're in his room, Zayn stands with his hands on his hips, staring at her and let's out a long sigh. 

"Would you like a shower?" He offers. 

It kind of makes her feel like one of those homeless people that people record themselves giving money to. She blinks at him. 

"Why, do I smell?" She muses, mocking his pose. 

He looks. He looks hot, for lack of better words. He's in a suit minus the jacket and his shirt is unbuttoned and the sleeves are casually folded to his elbows. 

"You will." Zayn grins. 

Oh? "Then I'd prefer a shower after, thank you." 

He nods, trailing further into the room. "Please make yourself comfortable." 

She starts with her jacket, hanging it on a hook on the back of the door. Next is her heels. She'd been dying to take them off but she didn't want to ruin the feet of her nylons. When she (carefully, slippery stockings and tiled floors are not her friends) walks to where Zayn went he's holding a thick packet and some sort of cup. 

"You're very short." He notices. 

It's an exercise in strength to resist rolling her eyes. Her heels were only four inches. 

"What's that?" 

Zayn hums, he does that a lot. She isn't sure yet if she finds it endearing or annoying. 

"Look over this," he hands her the packet. Next he hands her a clear white plastic cup. "Piss in this." 

Wait, what? "Huh?" 

Zayn takes a step closer to her and grips her jaw with one hand, pulling it open and using his other finger to pull and lift her lips. Is he checking her teeth? All those years of metal braces were /definitely/ worth it, would have been embarrassing had her seen her snaggle tooth before. 

"No STD's that you're aware of, correct? Your mouth appears healthy." 

Oh?

/Oh./

"Uh, no?" She hasn't been tested in two years, but there has only been a handful of people in her bed since then. 

"Let me know when you're done." Zayn carefully toes off his shoes towards the end of the end and starts unfolding his sleeves. 

This guy's weird. 

*

The "test" itself was actually fascinating. Zayn dropped a little tablet in her urine, it fizzled while it dissolved but otherwise nothing else happened. Then he put some strip in it, and when the yellow patch turned white Zayn smiled. He then explained to her that she doesn't have any vaginal diseases and apparently the packet was proof that his genitals were clean too. 

Interesting. 

"Are you on birth control?" He asks softly, tracing the tip of his finger over her lips. 

She shakes her head no, earning what she assumes is a judgmental eyebrow raise. "Made me fat." 

It bloated her right up, to the point where people thought she was actually pregnant. As if. 

Zayn snorts, openly gazing at her now flat tummy. 

"I'm quite tired. Next time with be much more, fun. If of course you choose to see me again." He tells her as he slowly unbuttons his shirt the rest of the way. She was right, he's littered in tattoos, each one of them looks like they belong on his body, too. 

"Next time?" Niall asks with a smirk, reaching behind her to unhook her bra /and/ her actual bra under it. She lets them both fall to her feet, Zayn literally licks his lips at her exposed breasts. Excellent. 

"Sure." It's not really an answer, not with the way he said it. It sounds a lot like he's about to give her half assed sex and instead of admitting he's shit at it he makes an excuse (tired) but promises for a better /next time/. It's always /next time/. 

Niall hates next time. 

"Alright." Niall thumbs the sides of her bottom, pulling them down so she's left in her nylons and actual panties. As if they were taking turns, Zayn shrugs his shirt off if his shoulders and expertly unbuckles his belt while keeping eye contact with her. 

He kicks off his pants, leaving him in tight black briefs. Niall bets he has a cute butt, she won't tell him as much even if he does, but she still bets on it being cute. 

When she rolls her tights and panties now her legs she sees Zayn doing the same with his briefs. He turns around to fetch something off of the table and /yesssss/, she wants to bite that butt. Does he know how sexy he is? Surely he must. 

Zayn comes back with a foil packet between his fingers, semi erect cock bobbing between his legs. It's, it's actually really pretty. He isn't circumcised though. 

At first glance she thinks it's small, but she has to remind herself it's because she's used to seeing Liam's gigantic third leg. Zayn's cock is probably a little bigger than average, whatever average is. 

Zayn gestures for her to lay on the bed, huffing a little when she lays at the end. With more attitude, he gestures again for her to lay on the pillows at the top of the bed. Alright then. Proper love making. 

He bends down, grabbing something before crawling on top of her. It's her nylons... is he going to gag her with her nylons? 

He grabs her wrists, looping the soft material around each of them and attaches the center to a part of the headboard so her arms are raised above her head. 

"Is this a fifty shades thing? I can't touch you?"

Zayn shakes his head, leaning back on his calves to admire her sex. He trails his finger from her hole to her clit, testing the waters. When she doesn't flinch, rubs soft circles over the nub. 

"It's more intense for you when you aren't wondering what to do with your hands." He explains. "I would like to tie your feet too, but." He shrugs.There are no posts at the end of the bed.

Niall questions why she let a stranger tie even her arms, and here she was almost willing to let him tie her legs too? This can be blamed on the alcohol. 

So what if she's completely sober now. She wasn't a few hours ago. 

"When was your last time?" He asks quietly, rolling the latex on his now completely erect penis. 

/Last night/, she thinks. /About twenty four hours ago./ She can't say that though, but maybe he can tell. It always takes her a few days to snap back after a night with Liam. 

Enough about Liam already, for fuck sake. 

"By myself or with a partner?" Zayn seems to like that answer, if his smile is any indication. 

He hovers over her and slides right in, groaning at the heat. Niall wraps her legs around his waist, angling her pelvis to find her spot. Slowly, just like his voice and his driving and anything else he does, Zayn sets a leisure pace. It's actually, it actually feels really good. 

With Liam there's this sort of blinding pain in the beginning, because he's so abnormally big that it takes her a long time to adjust to it. Once she does sometimes it takes a while to actually find her spot, when he does though. Orgasms are intense when you're filled that much. 

"Oh fuck," Niall breathes. Zayn is shaved, but the coarse stubble above his cock against her clitoris is oddly pleasurable. 

Her tummies bubbling and fluttering, heat stirring around like it usually does when she's so close. Zayn sucks harshly on her neck, one of his hands pinching her nipple too hard for his slow pace. She comes anyway. 

"/Ohmygod,/" she gasps, back arching and her head thrown back with her mouth wide and her eyes squeezed shut. 

"Holy shit." Zayn pants in her neck, thrusts becoming a little faster and less steady. He grunts and shoves himself in her further, stilling. He came too. 

He buries his face in her neck. If she could use her hands she'd run her fingers though his hair, it feels really soft on her face. She settles for rubbing her toes along the backs of his thighs. 

"I could fall asleep like this." He muses. Niall kind of finds herself thinking the same. 

Sighing, he pushes himself up and snaps the condom off, cringing at all the fluids on and in it. Carefully, he unties her wrists. She hopes there aren't any runs in the nylons, these are her last pair. 

"Would you like some real clothes?" Zayn asks, tearing through his suitcase.

Niall nods. Last night's outfit is definitely not for the daylight. She accepts the plain black shirt and swaps the sweats for the boxers he just took off. Zayn doesn't notice, he's busy tapping away on his phone. 

When he comes out of the bathroom, he's only wearing pants and he looks exhausted. He fishes his wallet out of his pants on the floor. 

"The cab will be here in ten minutes, it's already paid for just tell him your address." He sets a few bills on the bed next to her. 

Niall stares at it.

There's five hundred dollars there. 

Holy. Shit. 

"I can take a bus or something," Niall shakes her head. Her bras and underwear are folded in her jacket pocket already, she puts the money in her opposite pocket that held her tips from earlier. 

"Don't be thick." When Niall opens her mouth to argue he quickly cuts her off. "One in twenty three women are sexually assaulted on public transportation. The cab has been paid for, Niall." 

She snaps her mouth shut at that. How does... how does anyone even know something like that?

Zayn scribbles something on the hotel notepad and hands it to her.

"You'll text me when you get home safe." It's not a question, Niall nods anyway. "I'll wait up until I get it." 

And that's how she leaves, dressed in his clothes with a wad of cash in her pocket and his number in her hand. Confused as shit but somehow giddy. Maybe it has something to do with the money, and not so much Zayn. 

If that isn't the biggest lie she's ever told herself...


	3. Chapter 3

Since the cab was already paid for, Niall had the driver stop back at the diner for another to go box of cookies since she accidentally left the other one in Zayn's hotel. Surprisingly the cab was still there when she came back, so she didn't have to walk home even though she expected to. Usually cab drivers aren't so nice, Zayn must have tipped him or something. 

Niall's exhausted by time she gets to the fourth floor and luckily she didn't forget her key this time. Would have been useless trying to wake Lou or Harry to let her in. Even if they hear her they'd probably pretend they didn't, the pricks. 

It's a bit alarming that she actually did not need her key, as the door was already unlocked, which is strange. Wouldn't be so strange if Louis were here alone, but Harry is always responsible. He regularly lectures both girls on their nonexistent safety precautions. He's such a dad. 

It's also a bit alarming that a Liam Payne is sitting at her kitchen table, mean mugging an actual mug of a drink that probably doesn't even need a mug. 

It's probably her apple juice. Nice.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Niall sets the styrofoam container on the counter and goes to remove her coat but quickly stops, remembering what's underneath. Shit. 

Liam glances at her, his usual friendly eyes look tired. Judging by the furrow of his eyebrows, he's attempting to look mad. He's too nice to pull it off. 

"Is that your bra in your pocket?" His tone lacks curiosity, making it more of a statement than an actual question. 

He wants Niall to explain why her bra is in her pocket, though he probably already knows. He's too nice to flat out accuse her of anything but he's also so, so fucking stupid for thinking it's okay for him to question her at all. Niall could never, ever be a Sophia. She could never, ever, /ever/ be married to a Liam.   
"Yeah. I'm gonna go shower, I'm not in the mood to do much else but sleep, so." Niall shrugs, waiting to see if that will make Liam leave. 

They've never actually hung out without some sort of sexual contact, and they just did that yesterday. Two days in a row Payne? Really?

Liam stares at the bras hanging out of the pocket of her jacket. "I just thought you would want to see me." 

Oh. Not, "I wanted to see you" but an actual "you want to see me". It's like he likes that Niall is in love with him but can't have him, granted she's faking it but still. Bloody rude. 

Liam Payne's, the ass holes disguised as Prince Charmings are exactly why Niall stays away from relationships. 

Sure, she's been known to lead guys on for gifts or money but it all honesty Liam is the only one she's seen more than three times. If one of those guys fell in love with her after only seeing her less than three times, well that's their problem. 

How Liam made it this far, or why Liam made it this far, Niall does not know. He just sort of, has a face that's hard to disappoint no matter how bad you wanna punch him. He's like the stray puppy you don't want but can't ignore. 

Except he's not stray, he's got a home. And maybe that's why at least forty percent of Niall's being resents him.

"Of course I want to see you. I always want to see you, I'm just tired." Now that she's in her own home filled with familiar scents and smells, she faintly notices her shirt smells the way Zayn did earlier. She wonders if Liam can smell it too. 

"Take your jacket off." Liam orders. 

Yeah, he knows something's up. Looks like Niall won't be going to sleep anytime soon, as in within the next fifteen minutes as previously planned. 

"Why?" She tests. 

Liam's fist slams on the table, rattling the decorative bowl plastic fruit in the center. 

Harry keeps insisting they replace the fake fruit with some real stuff. As if they need another reason for him to come around more often.

If he buys the fruit, then maybe. 

"Take it off Niall!" Liam growls. She notices he's shaking, not just his legs but his entire body. 

What does it say about her as person that she's slightly aroused right now? Probably nothing good. 

"Keep your voice down, my roommate is sleeping." Louis could sleep through a live American football game, in fact she has once, and Liam knows this. Not the point though. 

"Take. The. Jacket. Off." When Liam finally looks her in her eyes, immediately she has to look away. She takes it all back, what she said before about Liam not being able to get angry. He looks down right terrifying. 

Yet somehow so fucking attractive. Niall is so confused.

With shaky (why?) fingers she unknots the belt and the couple of buttons, placing the jacket over the back of an empty chair at the table.

"There, are you happy now? Can I go shower?"

"/Boxers?/" he spits, standing abruptly, voice squeaky and appalled. "Who's are those? You /were/ with another guy, weren't you?" 

He looks all hurt and sad, just a tad angry and Niall's first instinct is to comfort him. She hates herself sometimes. 

"No!" She denies, face scrunched like the very idea itself disgusts her. "I mean, yes but he's gay!" 

So that's her alibi sorted then. Nick. She was with Nick. 

Liam gives her a confused look. 

"I had drinks with one of the bartenders at his house. I didn't want to sit in my fucking push up bra and boy shorts so he gave me some clothes. Alright?" Niall's impressed with herself there, lying on the spot. Sounds believable too. 

He looks away from her, hands on his hips as he sighs. "He's gay? Not bisexual, not pansexual, not any other sexuals that involve him desiring you?"

She's in the clear. Smooth sailing. 

Niall giggles, walking towards him to wrap her arms around his waist and rest her cheek on his chest. "He's very gay. I showed him pictures of your cock." 

Okay, so she saved a few shots he's sent her of his penis. Big deal. It's impressive, alright. 

Liam looks down at her with a scrunched nose. "Gross." 

Shaking her head, she trails her hands down to squeeze his little butt. He hates that. "It's not gross. It's cute." 

"You're sure you just want to go to sleep?" The horny bastard pushes his hips forward a little so his crotch rubs just under her belly button. 

"Mhm." She nods. She's so tired she feels like she's drunk again, or maybe high. "You're very sexy but I'm about to crash literally any second now." 

She's decided to forgo the shower. Her skin's still a little itchy from the dried sweat but death by concussion in the bathtub is not how she wants to go. 

"Can you stay?" Niall asks, to keep up the whole in love charade. She couldn't careless at this point whether he's there or not. Sleep is the only thing on her mind. 

"Yeah. Soph thinks I'm golfing, doesn't expect me back till around three."

It's eight in the morning, who golfs for seven hours? If Niall didn't regularly stalk their Facebook's she would think Sophia is a made up character. Nobody is that stupid. 

Then again, nobody expects Liam Payne to lie to their face, so. Not really her fault. 

***

It feels like she's just fallen asleep when she wakes up again. Niall couldn't have been asleep no more than twenty, thirty minutes tops. She thinks it was a knock at the door? But Liam sitting in the chair across from her bed staring at her is a little... important? Alarming. 

She blinks at him, and he doesn't blink at all. He's bent forward with his elbows on his knees and both hands crossed in front of his mouth. When she fell asleep, was laying in bed behind her, so what is this? 

"What are you doing?" Someone knocks again, not on her door but on the actual flats door. 

"There's a hickey on your neck." 

Why didn't he just go home, for fuck sake? 

"What?" She plays stupid, rolling out of bed to go answer the door- which someone has taken to pounding on. Neighbors are so rude in America, it's like eight a.m..

Liam follows her through the living room all the way to the kitchen with his arms crossed over his chest. 

"Who is it?" He asks the exact second Niall looks through the peep hole. 

"Shit." She forgot to text Zayn, and now he's outside of her door looking sleepy and mad. He knocks again. "Fuck,"

"Who is it?" Liam asks again. He's probably worried it's Sophia, how hilarious would that be? Pretty hilarious, long as she didn't try to fight Niall. She could hit Liam though. 

"Downstairs neighbor, go back in my room." She blindly pushes his chest a little as she removes the chain lock. 

"Why? No," 

"Liam please! I'm exhausted just go in my room I'll be right back." Niall snaps. She's really not in the mood for jealous Liam, or stalker Mr. Unimportant outside of her door. 

Liam leans against the counter by the sink, pursing his lips stubbornly. What the fuck ever. 

"Don't follow me." She mutters, opening the door and quickly stepping out to close it behind her. 

She gestures for Zayn to move a little down the hall with her in case Liam decides to get nosey. 

"Sorry I forgot to text you I-" 

"You're alright then?" Zayn cuts her off, hands on his hips. 

What?

"Yeah, I'm fine?" 

"Public transportation is dangerous, I've told you this not even an hour ago. I also told you I would wait up, do you know what trouble I've just gone through to make sure you were safe? So that I could have peace at mind before I rest." 

It feels like a proper scolding, a lecture even. It's a bit excessive considering they're essentially strangers. 

"Safety isn't a joke." He adds when Niall has to bite her lip to suppress laughter. 

She's not in the mood to laugh anyway. She's got an angry Liam, a worried (?) Zayn and about eight hours before she has to wake up again for work. 

"I know, I'm sorry I just. I forgot and I fell asleep," 

Zayn sighs, dropping his stiff posture to a more relaxed one. "You're still wearing my clothes." 

Niall nods, smiling up at him. Even with the dark circles under his eyes he's very beautiful. Liam never has circles under his eyes. He probably wears make up. 

"How does your boyfriend feel about that?" 

Niall whips her head in the direction of the door but Zayn quickly grabs her face by the jaw, making her look at him. He raises a thick eyebrow. 

"I don't have a boyfriend." She sort of lies, quietly though, in case Liam is peeking out and eavesdropping. 

He gives her a disbelieving look. "That man isn't your boyfriend?"

Niall tries to turn her head again to see if Liam is indeed out here with them. Surely he would have said something by now? Maybe? But Zayn's grip tightens on her, not letting her move. So she shakes her head no. 

"Then kiss me." Zayn suggests, with a cocky smirk. "If that man's not your boyfriend, you'll kiss me." 

Fuck. Why her? Why today? Everything was great a few hours ago. She made a lot of tips at work, met a really hot guy, had decent sex with said really hot guy, made a whole weeks paycheck from really hot so of course it ends like this. 

If she kisses him it opens doors to see him again, which seems beneficial. But, if she kisses him and Liam is indeed indeed in the hallway, well that's just going to cause quite a bit of unnecessary stress. He's going be mad, or worse; sad. 

/But/ she doesn't care about Liam's feelings, she reminds herself. Liam is married. 

Wetting her lips, Niall stands on her tiptoes and presses her lips to his. His hand stays on her jaw, the other wraps around her back and lifts her against the wall. 

Oh. 

Quite passionate for this early in the morning, for a total stranger. 

His tongue licks in her mouth once, giving her just a taste before he pulls away to scrape his teeth along her bottom lip. She's a little floaty when he sets her back down. 

"Call me." He says, kissing her one more time before taking off towards the stairs. 

Niall watches him go. Partly because Zayn's got a cute butt and mostly because she's not ready to face Liam, if he saw that. Which he probably did knowing her luck. 

Letting out a long, overdrawn sigh she gathers the courage to turn around. Oh thank fuck. 

/Relief/ flows through her body when she sees /Harry/ leaning against the closed apartment door, topless with a shit eating grin. 

"What was that?" He asks, quiet and amused. "Did you shag him?" 

"You're American Harry, give it a rest." Niall lays her forehead on his naked chest, giving herself a moment to, well, pity herself. 

Poor, poor Niall. 

"But my newly exclusive girlfriend is English." Harry wraps one arm around Niall's shoulders. It's platonic, but it's a bit eye opening how many naked men she's touched in the last twenty four hours. 

Oh well. 

"About time. Congrats." 

"Thanks." Harry chirps. "Is Zayn Malik the reason Liam is all frowny in the kitchen?" 

Niall pulls away from him, rubbing her tired eyes. She doesn't even want to know the state of her eye makeup right now. It's either rubbed off or turning her into a human raccoon. She doesn't care. 

"How do you know his names Malik?" 

"His dad was Rambo, and I'm pretty sure his mom was a model in the eighties." 

Harry wasn't even born in the eighties. Niall is so done with everything.

"Liam didn't come out here did he?" She chooses to ignore Harry's random trivia knowledge. He's a strange one, but he's sweet and treats Louis nice so she's stuck with him. 

"Nah, he's in a mood though." 

Liam acting like he's on his period, what the fucks new. 

Niall follows Harry inside and finds Liam exactly where she left him. Harry appears to be making tea instead of going back to sleep so Niall drags Liam to her room by his arm. 

He doesn't stop pouting the whole way. 

"I love you." Niall tries, because Liam always gets all sympathetic and extra gentle when she says it. 

He looks at her with his sad puppy dog eyes. She hates those sad puppy dog eyes. She's seem them far too many times to be acceptable in one lifetime. 

"There's a hickey on your neck." He reminds her. 

Niall sighs. "I'm sorry."

Liam swallows, sucking the side of his cheek. "Did you sleep with someone else, Niall? I deserve to know."

She's so. Sick, of his shit, is the thing. He has a wife, who Niall is positive he still loves and fucks yet here he is, bothering Niall when she should be in a comatose sleep. Fucking prick. 

"You're a fucking prick, you know that?" Niall wipes her eyes, which are watering from how fucking tired she is but it makes for a great dramatic effect anyway. 

"Excuse me?"

"You are. You fuck me, then you go home and fuck your wife. It's not fair that you get to be with someone else and you just expect me to wait around for you until you can sneak out, like some fucking teenager." 

Liam looks as shocked as she feels. She, Niall doesn't even really know where all that came from?

"That's not the same thing Niall." Liam attempts to reason. 

Anger and annoyance flares through her body like... lightning maybe. "Why? Because it's you?"

"Because you know who I'm with!" 

"That doesn't make any sense!" Niall screams back at it. Fucking ass hole. More sleep related tears fall down her cheeks.

"If you're out there fucking strangers while you claim to be all about me I deserve to fucking know." 

Okay. He's got a point there. 

"I didn't fuck anybody!" Niall stomps her foot, fuck the downstairs neighbors. "And fuck you for thinking I did!" 

"There's a fucking bruise on your neck Niall, if I didn't do it who did?" He lifts her hair away from her neck, staring at the stupid offending love bite. 

"I don't know." She pushes his arm away from her. 

"So you come home late, wearing men's clothes with a hickey on your neck and you don't know who did it?" Liam raises his eyebrows. 

She's so sick of getting yelled at today, she did not sign up for this. 

"It was a rambunctious body shot." She mutters, hardly believing her own lie. 

"Rambunctious?" He repeats, confused. 

Niall nods, then remembers Payno isn't so good with the words. "It means crazy."

"I thought that was the name of the shot." He confesses. 

Niall tries not to laugh, because she's mad damn it, but she can't help it. 

"You didn't cheat on me?" Liam asks, much softer. 

Niall shakes her head. Liam sighs and pulls her in for a hug, kissing the top of her head. 

"I'm sorry. I just, I care about you a lot, and I don't want to get played." 

She can't help it, "Like how you're playing Sophia?" 

Or maybe she's the one getting played, doesn't matter though. Niall's emotions are just great acting. 

Liam inhales sharp, squeezing her a little unconsciously. "That's different Niall." 

Maybe it is different, but that doesn't make it right. 

"Can we sleep now?" 

"Yeah. I'm gonna leave soon though, do you want me to wake you up before I go?" 

Liam tucks her back in on her side before laying down on his own. 

Wait- no. They're all her sides. This is her bed, and only her bed. 

"No, I'll text you when I wake up." 

Liam nods and kisses her forehead. 

She's too tired, too emotional to stop the cuddling. Her last thought before she drifts off is that she definitely needs to start distancing herself from Liam, and maybe Zayn will be a nice distraction. Less complicated too.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> uneventful but camouflaged important parts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the first three chapters is all one day, this is a few days after so lolllll there's gunna be a few time jumps in the future :~)

Monday's suck for a lot of reasons. Niall's being that it's her first gym day of week after four days straight of drinking and eating whatever she wants. She has a great metabolism but Liam pays that no mind, that's what makes him a great personal trainer and a completely annoying boyfriend. 

He never lets her get out of her fifteen minutes of squats no matter how much she wiggles her butt and always adds a loud /TEN MORE/ every time she offers to suck his cock instead of doing sit ups. Which is funny because this is exactly how they got started, by hooking up in the gym instead of working out. 

"Hop up." Liam nodded at the pull up bar- the thing Niall absolutely refused to do. It was way too high, hence why Liam got her the chair to stand on but it'd be useless once she fell. 

Harry would probably have to jump to reach that, who was this designed for? Andre the giant? 

"Absolutely not." Niall shook her head. Not even if he lowered the bar. No. 

He upper body strength is shit but that's okay because her legs are all muscle. Well, mostly bone but there's muscle in there. 

"I want to try something, just trust me." They're the only ones in here, they've fucked a couple of times in front of the mirror by the weights. Niall was kind of hoping that's what he lead her in here for. Tease.

"I can't do chin ups Payne," she argued. 

"You're not, just hop up and hang on." 

With all the necessary huffs and grunts and curses under her breath, she slams her foot on the chair and stood to her tip toes to reach the bar. It turns out, the bar isn't actually all that high. Maybe she is just short. Whatever. 

She struggles, admittedly less than she thought she would but her arms still shake as Liam scoots the chair back. He grabs her foot and takes her sneaker off. 

"What are you doing?" Liam ignores her and removes her other shoe. His fingers hook into the sides of her yoga shorts, then she gets it. Kind of, she's still a little confused though. 

When her bottom half is completely naked Liam sits in the chair and lifts her thighs over his shoulders. Oh, Niall likes this. 

Most of her weight is held up by Liam's hands and shoulders, the bar is just there for her to hang on to, she thinks. 

"Oh!" Niall squeaks. Liam's tongue licks bold, wet stripes from her hole to her clit, her legs immediately wrap around his head to keep him there, locked in. As if he'd go anywhere else. 

His tongue wiggles, sloppy and everywhere like he's french kissing her cunt. Her hips buck, trying to fuck his face more but it's hard when she has to hold herself up. 

"Fuck, Liam oh my god!" She praises around a series of moans and gasps. Her toes curl into his shoulder blades and her back arches, trying to get moremoremore and finally his pillowy lips wrap around her clit and suck. She can't help but squeeze her thighs tighter around his head, he moans when she does so he doesn't seem to mind. 

Her body feels hot and tingly, close to orgasm until his teeth scrape her nub so gently. That's all she needed to fall apart, clutching the metal rod as she shakes though it. 

Liam keeps his face buried in her crotch, humming as his tongue licks deep in her hole. Niall's breathless, her limbs feel heavy and she wants to lay down and enjoy this while she lays there limp but if she lets go she'll topple over. His nose bumps her clit, which is still sensitive and her hips jump back. 

Liam pulls back a little, sucking little kisses to the crease of her crotch and thighs. 

"Can you go again?" He asks. She's all wet, probably more from Liam's saliva than her excitement and that just. That does something to her. 

Niall shakes her head before she remembers he can't see her. "No." Her voice comes out all croaky. 

"Okay." He gives her pussy a couple more kisses before scooting her thighs off of his shoulders, still holding her legs. "Hang on," 

She holds her own weight on the bar for all of two seconds, realizing she was literally sat on Liam's shoulders the entire time. She feels heavy. His arms wrap around her waist and immediately she slides down, crossing her legs above his butt and shoves her tongue in his mouth, tasting herself. 

She's so. She feels so clingy, to Liam is the thing. Good orgasms will do that to a girl. 

His erection pokes her butt, she moans into his mouth in appreciation. 

"Do you have a condom?" She nibbles his top lip.

Liam groans. "What? We never use condoms," which is true, and stupid. She wonders if he uses them with Sophia. The thought of them having a baby... doesn't settle right in Niall's belly. She shouldn't care, so she doesn't. But. Liam as a dad is much worse than Liam as a husband.

"Plus I don't know if you want to fuck anyway," Liam lifts her higher as if she weighs nothing and mouths her breasts over the sweaty sports bra. "Mmm, 's why I asked you if you wanted to come again, I'm not gunna be able to wait for you if I fuck you." 

Niall loves the feeling of sweat dampened hair through her fingers, she's still a little hazy from her orgasm and her pussys a bit undecided if it wants to come again. It could go either way. 

"Wanna feel you though," 

Liam groans, biting her nipple through the material. Niall yelps and gives his hair a weak tug.

Even though she's all slicked up and loose, /relaxed/, down there it's still going to hurt when he puts it in, and he's going to come before it gets good anyway. Fuck it. 

"If I blow you I'm not swallowing." Niall warns.   
Liam sets her down and quickly drops his basketball shorts, then his briefs. His monster cock stands straight out, all angry red and leaky. So pretty. 

Niall drops to her knees and wipes the blurts of precome away with her hand before she wets her lips with a generous amount of spit and takes in as much as she can. Not even half of Liam's cock is in her mouth but she's already gagging on it. The sensations of her throat spasming around the tip has Liam thrusting forward, choking her even more. After no more than six quick bobs of her head Liam pulls out and wanks himself, coming first on Niall's forehead then aiming at her mouth once it's closed. Ass hole. 

Liam grabs the sweat towel and immediately wipes Niall's eye, then the rest of her face. Her eye feels all sticky, she'll probably get pink eye from this. 

"Your come tastes like shit." She mutters after he's finished cleaning her off. 

"I'm sorry." He doesn't sound sorry, because he isn't. She's told him before that his come tastes like shit, she almost threw up before because of it. There's no reason for it to taste that bad, either. Liam doesn't smoke and he eats super healthy. It's all those damn protein shakes he throws back. 

"Kiss me." Niall's sleepy, so she knows she looks all little and cute when she puckers her lips up at him. He gives her a quick peck them scrunches his nose. 

She wasn't exaggerating when she said it was disgusting. 

***

Niall sent Zayn a text on Sunday night since work was slow, not really expecting much back. They actually ended up texting back and forth through the rest of the night. Mostly banter, a couple innuendos and surprisingly they really started getting to know each other.   
Just the basics though. Like, Zayn's favorite color is blue but he looks better in red, he prefers pie to cake (apple), he's never been fishing because he gets sea sick and he hasn't been in a real relationship in over ten years, he's thirty three. 

It was nice talking to Zayn. He didn't steer the conversation towards sexting like most guys and he didn't ask for any pictures. It was just, conversation. 

Niall mentioned Tuesday morning during their argument over boy bands and girl bands (Spice Girls all the way) that she was going shopping. Not for much, just some clothes and probably a new phone and some groceries. Zayn offered to drive her, when she refused he insisted. 

So never mind on the groceries then. 

"Do you really want to go shopping, or is this just so you can see me again?" Niall asks cheekily. Her wavy blonde hairs blowing everywhere because Zayn's got the top down, but he looks ridiculously stunning in his sunglasses so it worth the frizz. 

"Public transportation is dangerous." He reminds her with a little grin. "And yes, I wanted to see you again."

Niall bites her lip and turns away. She feels so giddy around him, like how you're supposed to feel when you're in love, she thinks. Not that she's in love with him, she won't allow herself to think about that until she's certain he fell for her first, but she could be. 

Everything so far about Zayn is just. What she never thought she'd find in a man. 

Zayn follows behind her through the shops, but he doesn't look bored and he doesn't rush her so it's not annoying. Niall never tries on clothes, which nearly gave Liam a heart attack to find out last time they went shopping, at fucking Wal-Mart. Zayn just shrugs and smiles, even carries a few articles for her. 

The best part through, was when he put his hand on her lower back at the register as he slid his card across the counter. 

"You didn't have to do that, you know?" Niall elbows him playfully on the way back to the car. 

"How would I look? A man letting his woman pay?" Zayn scoffs. 

Whoa. Okay. She knew he was weird but she didn't know he was that kind of weird. 

"Your woman?" She doesn't look at him while she waits for the answer. 

If Zayn wants to be her boyfriend, there's no reason for her to object. It's going to be so... interesting, breaking up with Liam though. Maybe she won't have to, maybe she can play both. 

"They don't know what you are to me." He dismisses, pressing the unlock button on his keys. 

They get milkshakes from a drive through and Zayn puts the top back up, driving aimlessly around the city. Well, she thinks. Niall doesn't actually know. 

"So. Tell me about that guy." 

She make a confused sound, acting distracted by her milkshake and phone. Quickly, she changes her lock screen back to one of the default flower pictures in case Zayn seen the picture of Liam that was there before. 

Whoops. 

"The guy who's not your boyfriend but was half naked in your apartment." At least he looks amused this time. But more pleasant than the angry faces he made at the time. 

Fucking Harry. 

"That's my roommates boyfriend. They don't have boundaries." She doesn't either, but he doesn't need to know she shits with the door open until after the prenup-less wedding.

"And the guy who's had you smiling at your phone the entire time you've been with me?" This look, this look holds a lot more judgement. Niall doesn't like it. 

Smiling? She's only got a few texts from Louis and Liam, there was no smiling. 

"I was smiling because of you, sweetheart." She lies. Well, maybe lies. She doesn't remember exactly what he's talking about. 

"Where do you live?" She's been meaning to ask this but couldn't find the right moment. "I mean, do you live in Florida? Because you had a hotel," 

"Yeah I have a home here." He doesn't explain further, so she drops it. 

"And how did you find where I live?" Finding her apartment building was probably thanks to the cab driver, her exact apartment though. That's the mystery here. 

Zayn hums. "You have an awful lot of questions for someone who didn't even give me a kiss today." 

Oh. When he says stuff like that, Niall feels butterflies. 

"You're driving." She stalls. 

Zayn nods, sucking his straw as he turns the wheel and parks on the side of the road in front of someone's house. 

"Is this where you live?" 

Zayn shakes his head. "Kiss, please." 

He pulled over... so she would kiss him. What is Zayn Malik, honestly. 

Niall leans over and presses her lips to his, it's nice but something doesn't feel right about it. Zayn slides his seat back and pulls her arm. Hesitantly, she takes the hint and climbs over to straddle his lap. Her dress is long so she had to hike it up by her hips and Zayn takes advantage of it, rubbing his hands up her thighs until his fingers reach the sides of her panties. 

Now this- dry humping in a car, was more along the lines of what she expected the day with Zayn to be like. 

"We can't do this in a car," she protests when he starts to suck on her neck. She should probably stop that. But it feels too good, it's like his mouth is on her clit but it isn't? So good. 

"Do what?" His hands slide from her hips to her ass, grinding her crotch against his. 

Niall rocks back and forth on his lap, moaning a little. "This." 

"Mmm. No, no you're right." Zayn gives his butt cheeks a nice rub before putting his hands back on her thighs. 

Wait, what? She didn't. She didn't actually mean it, they could do it in a car. But what kind of a lady would she be if she didn't act a little hesitant, if she said yes right away. 

"What?" Niall asks, a little breathless. She finds his lips again and slips her tongue in but he keeps the kiss soft, no matter how hard or filthy she tries to make it. 

"I really like you." Zayn tells her, pecking her bottom lip. "I don't want to make this all about sex, I'm sorry." 

Oh. Well, even better then. Gifts without having to put out, Niall can deal with that.

Niall sits back on his lap, the steering wheel digs awkwardly in her butt. "You like me?" 

It's so grade school and childish to ask, but it hasn't even been a week. They met like four days ago, if it's not all about sex how could he possibly already like her. 

Zayn hums. "You intrigue me. I want to get to know you, it's just extremely difficult when I can't stop thinking about the sweet little noises you make when you come." 

He holds eye contact with her the entire time he talks. His eyes are as beautiful as the rest of his face, a deep amber that could pass for gold framed with lashes like that, so long and dark. He's gorgeous, the word sexy doesn't do Zayn justice. 

"Oh." 

He chuckles, swiping his thumb over her bottom lip. "Stay the night with me? We don't have to do anything, I'm just not ready to say goodbye to you yet." 

Who is she to say no to a face like that? 

Niall nods in agreement and climbs back to her seat, sending Louis a text to let her know she'll be back in the morning and ignoring Liam's texts all together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as always, if there is anything you don't understand or are confused on please feel free to ask.x


	5. Chapter 5

So it goes like that for about a month, give or take, until she gets caught up. 

Zayn met Niall at the club about an hour before she got off so they could go home together. He bought Niall (and Louis) way more shots than Ben allows them while on the floor but they threw the back one after another anyway because fuck Ben. So it's safe to say Niall's sporting an excellent buzz as she leads Zayn (who's clinging to her back) to her apartment door. He keeps kissing her neck and ear and it's tickling her!

"I want to kiss you," Zayn purrs in her ear as they stumble down the hallway. "everywhere."   
His hot breath tickles her ear, making her giggle and almost topple over. She's a lot drunker than Zayn, though, so luckily he steadies her. 

"Your kisses are so nice." Niall slurs. It's true, his kisses feel very good. Zayn's the best kisses giver.

She's not really paying attention where she's going, it's hard when there's a Greek God sucking your neck with his lovely cock jammed in your back, so she can't really be blamed when she doesn't notice Liam standing in front of the door with his arms crossed over his chest. 

Ut Oh. 

"Niall." Liam's voice makes her snap up. He looks so... not Liam. Angry and sweaty, if she's not mistaken there are scratches on his face. Has he fallen? 

"Hi." Is all Niall can squeak back. 

Zayn seems unphased by the six foot, two hundred something pound man glaring at them. Niall wishes she could say the same for herself.

She just seen Liam like, three days ago? Was it necessary for him to show up? He didn't even text her. Or maybe he did, she hasn't checked her phone since Zayn showed up but still. Rude. 

"Who's that?" Zayn asks, wet lips all against her ear. His voice makes her shiver, Liam's fists clench when she does. 

"What the fuck is this Niall?" Liam's eyes bounce back and forth between her face and Zayn's.

Niall's a bit frozen. Louis isn't even here to help her... She knew she should have convinced Zayn to go back to Normani's with the rest of the group. 

"You fucking ignore me all night then you bring home some guy?" 

"What's his problem? Who the fuck is that?" Zayn asks, his voice still low, meant for just her to hear. 

It's hits her that this is probably the end, right now. The end of her having both of them, because after this she knows she can win one of them back but it's going to be too hard to win them both back and nothing will be the same. She doesn't like this. 

Holding her breath, she puts her house key in Zayn's palm. "Go inside and wait for me? I'll be in in a sec." 

Niall's still pretty drunk, but nothing sobers you up faster than being confronted by Liam. Liam always kills her high, except for when he makes her feel high. But that's. Niall pushing those feelings back to wherever they came from. They aren't welcome right now. 

"You'll be alright, babe?" Zayn doesn't look too terribly concerned, barely even pays Liam any attention as he kisses the corner of Niall's mouth before he unlocks the door. 

"I'm so sorry Liam," she starts. 

He's not having it though. "You're such a bitch Niall. How could you?" 

How could she? How /dare/ he, he's the married one here!

"Are you fucking him? Are you..." Liam squeezes his eyes shut, both hands tug the hair on the side of his head. "Fuck, are you in love with him?" 

Is she? It's so different with Zayn, so unguarded. She often finds herself feeling paranoid when she feels any sort of real happiness with Liam but with Zayn it's all butterflies and giddy smiles. She doesn't pretend as much when she's with Zayn. She's sick of pretending anyway. 

She knows but it's too painful to admit even to herself that she really, really is in love with Liam. It's not all acting, somewhere along the way she really did fall for him and it hurts like hell because they can't be together. 

And with Zayn, there's potential there. He doesn't hide things from her and he's so considerate. She really hasn't been fair to him, and it's all so fucking stupid because he's perfect. She could fall in love with Zayn if she got her shit together and stopped fucking with married men. 

But there's that saying... old habits die hard, and damn it yes they do. 

"No!" Niall denies. "I get lonely Liam, I can't be with you the way I want to and he's just. He's there." 

That part is true. It's incredibly hard for her be alone for so long. Her bed gets lonely and now that Louis' got Harry Niall's starting to notice it. She likes to be held at night and kissed in the morning. She needs affection. 

"How long?" God sometimes Liam can be so... possessive of her. He doesn't care that she's hurting or that she loves him, just that she fucked somebody else. 

"Who cares Liam?" Niall shakes her head. "He doesn't mean anything, he's just a warm body when you're not around." 

"Tell him to leave then." Liam decides, hands on his hips. 

Ah fuck, she should have thought this through. 

"I won't do that, Li." 

"Then I will." He turns to go in the apartment, Niall flings herself in front of him. 

"Stop!" 

Like fucking magic, Zayn opens the door. 

"What's going on?" The beauty asks Niall. He completely ignores Liam, bit rude but Niall's thankful. 

"Niall was just about to tell you to leave mate, don't gotta go home but you can't stay here." 

Zayn snorts. "Who the fuck is this guy? Come inside I'm getting bored." He pouts.

It's almost comical how little of a fuck Zayn actually gives. He's too... beautiful, and rich, to have ever been in a situation like this before. He probably doesn't understand what's going on. 

Liam's proper livid, though, body all shaking and his fists clenched. Would be pretty hot if his eye wasn't twitching, but. 

A three some with the two of them would probably kill her. 

"I'm her fucking boyfriend, is who the fuck I am!" Niall has to push Liam back before he gets any closer to Zayn's face. Highly unlikely he'll swing first, if at all, but with Niall being in between them she'd rather not test that theory. She's drunk, not stupid. 

"Is he serious?" Zayn's voice is amused and Niall doesn't need to see his face to know exactly what smirk he's wearing. 

"Zayn please go back inside!" She's suddenly so exhausted, which she shouldn't be because she just swallowed a couple adderall not even four hours ago. Maybe her brain is just tired? She wraps her arms around Liam's waist, draping herself around him to keep him from lunging at Zayn.

"I don't know what's going on here but if you want me to leave Niall I need to hear you say it yourself." Zayn doesn't sound mad, a little annoyed maybe. They've only been dating a few weeks but he's not as angry as she originally expected. 

"Ten minutes Zayn, give me ten minutes and I'll come in." Niall negotiates. Zayn huffs out an okay and closes the door behind him. 

"Get off me." Liam glares down at her. 

"Why?" It's a stupid question, she should just let him go so he can storm off and she can get back to Zayn, do a little damage control and let him come on her face as an apology. 

He really likes doing that. He's got a thing for coming in or on her. Liam sort of does too, he usually pulls out though. 

"For the same reason you didn't tell him to leave." Liam's entire body is completely stiff but Niall clings to him like a lifeline. 

"Because he'll stay Liam!" She buries her face in the chest of white t-shirt, probably staining it with all of her make up and sweat. Oh well. 

He doesn't say anything when she starts crying, right there in the hallway, hugging him even though he's not touching her back. He just stands there, still and silent. 

That... that hurts a little. Because she's a really good actress but not even Anne Hathaway (the world's most talented actress to ever bless this planet, according to Niall) could cry like this without actually being sad. 

"You always leave!" She wails, not caring that her face is getting all nasty. It's just. It's so fucking exhausting convincing herself day after day that she doesn't want Liam, that she doesn't miss Liam, that she doesn't fucking love Liam. She can't keep lying to herself. It's gone too far. 

Once she's calmed down a bit, just hiccuping instead of sobbing, Liam sighs and rubs his hand on her back. "What does this mean Niall? I can't be with you if you're with him too."

So hypocritical. It's unfair, he's not fair. 

"You can't be with me regardless." She reminds him. Yeah, this feels more like a break up than she'd like for it to, but it was bound to happen eventually. 

He wraps both arms around her, he's still not squeezing as tight as she is but it's better than him not touching her at all. "You know what I mean." 

"What happened to your face?" Niall asks instead. It's all scratched up, she just remembered. 

Liam groans. "Sophia." 

Niall leaves it at that. Whatever they fought about, she doesn't care. It doesn't matter. 

"You should go." She whispers after a few minutes. 

It's surely been more than ten minutes, bless Zayn for not coming back out. Or maybe he did while she was crying and she didn't notice? Either way Niall really hopes he's there when she goes in. Tonight's not a good night to be alone. 

"Yeah." Liam agrees. He drops his arms but Niall still doesn't let go.

Probably looks so ridiculous, she's in fish net stockings, boy shorts, and a crop top with black make up most likely all over her face. What a mess. She is a mess. 

"I really care about you, you know?" He says quietly. That's all it takes for Niall to let him go. 

Eight months they've been doing this, ten months since they've started fucking, and all she gets is "I care about you". Whatever.

"I know." She wipes her eyes, cringing at his shirt. It's got black smudges and awkward orange spots from her foundation. How embarrassing. "Can we talk about this or something tomorrow? I don't like, want you out of my life completely, you know?" 

Liam licks his lips, nodding unconvincingly. "Yeah. I'll text you tomorrow." 

He drops a lingering kiss to her forehead before stalking off down the hall, and Niall can't bring herself to watch him go but she listens, listens to his fading footsteps and the slam of the door to the stairs. It hurts all over. 

***

Niall goes straight for the shower, semi regretting washing off whatever faint smell of Liam was left but she needed to clear her head before she dealt with Zayn. She dries herself thoroughly and wraps a towel around her body, letting her long wavy hair dry naturally. 

Zayn's laying on on her bed, still dressed except for his shoes with his hands crossed behind his head. He's so beautiful, inside and out and Niall feels so undeserving of him. If the script was flipped and some chick showed up at Zayn's house she would have left without a second thought. Zayn must really like her, why?

He watches her as she takes a seat on the chair instead of on the bed. If she lays on the bed already half naked who knows if they'll get any talking done. 

"Say something." She says quietly.

"Do you love him?" The question surprises her. That's- that's a loaded question. 

But she's sick to death of lying all of the time. Zayn doesn't deserve to be lied to, not anymore. Things are going to change. 

"Yes." 

Zayn takes a sharp breath, not missing a beat he asks: "Does he love you?"

Niall closes her eyes, gnawing the insides of her cheeks. "No." 

"Where do I stand?" 

That's a great question. As of now, he stands where ever he pleases. If he wants to continue dating, or call it quits. The ball is in his court. 

When she doesn't answer, he asks a different question. "Do you see yourself falling in love with me?" 

He's- he's perfect. The dream man, of course she could fall for him. Of course. She nods her head. 

Zayn hums. "Now ask me if I love you." 

No. She wants to point out they've barely known each other thirty days, give or take but they've spent a lot of time together within those thirty days. Love doesn't have a time limit, she knows from experience it happens fast, falling in love. 

"Do you?" She keeps her eyes shut when she asks. She can't look at him right now. Its all so much, for just an hour. 

"I believe I do." 

Fuck. This is so fucked. 

She doesn't even realize she's crying again until Zayn's crouched in front of her, wiping tears away with his knuckle. 

"Can I stay?" He asks, voice no higher than a whisper. 

A lump forms in her throat. The way he worded it, so simple yet it implies so much. "Can I stay?" instead of "Do you want me to stay?"-like how Liam would have asked, means that he wants to stay. Him staying is because he wants to be with her, not because he's being nice or doing her a favor. He wants to be with her. 

"Please." 

She surprisingly got a really good sleep after that. They didn't have sex, but they spooned and watched friends reruns until the sun came up. 

Noises in the kitchen startled her awake hours later- two ten in the afternoon according to her cable box. It had to be Louis, if that bitch is up everybody is up. Sometime through the night they must have shifted, because her face is buried in Zayn's armpit and their legs are tangled, her arm draped over his belly. When she peeks up at him, he's already staring back at her. 

"Hi." Niall whispers, kissing one of his ribs. She'd very much like to kiss his cute lips but morning breath. 

Zayn hums. "Hey." 

Her bedroom door slams open, it startles Zayn but Niall hardly even flinches anymore. Louis is loud, it took her all of one week to adjust to that. Said week was almost four years ago. 

"Zayner!" The brunette cheers. Her hairs still all wavy and sparkly from last night. And she's wearing Harry's button up, which is four sizes at least too big on her. She's cute.

"Tommo!" Zayn mocks her cheery tone. 

Niall feels a bit left out if she's honest, and well. That's just rude. 

"Nialler!" She cheers her own name, both of her so called friends laugh at her. 

Louis hasn't said much about how often Liam and Zayn are there, hasn't said anything really but it's obvious she likes Zayn a lot more than Liam. That could have something to do with his "quality shit" weed he always shares, or that he upgraded their cable and set the payment settings to take out automatically from his bank account. Or maybe it's because he's really easy to talk to and he's always got insightful shit to say back, rather than just a boring speech like Liam always does. There's a lot to like about Zayn, and Niall has a feeling she'd still like him if he wasn't wealthy. 

But she'll never know cause he's stinkin' rich. 

"Haz's on his way back with food. Get your smelly arses up and come be grateful for my man feeding you rotten children." With that being said, Louis stomps out of the room. 

"Thanks mum!" Niall yells after her. They are a bit like mom and dad, Louis and Harry. 

That reminds her, Niall's ignored two of her mum's calls this week. She'll have to make time to ring her tomorrow or something. 

"She's extra English today." Zayn comments. 

Niall pushes herself, unable to resist giving him a quick kiss before going to brush her teeth. 

"Yeah she gets like that sometimes." 

Niall does too, to be honest. The thing about living in America, beautiful beautiful America, is that Americans butcher traditional English. Accents get watered down and more... Americanized, for lack of better word. But it never fails whenever someone points out their accent that it always thickens right back up. For Niall, it's usually when she's drunk. For Louis, it's just when she's in the mood to remind people she's better than them. 

Niall's gargling mouth wash when Zayn comes in, snatching her toothbrush from the counter, still wet from being in her mouth less than a minute ago. They've shared a toothbrush before, a couple of times actually. It's not as gross as one would expect it to be. 

He kicks the door closed while the brush it in his cheek, and Niall's mind immediately thinks something dirty until he walks to the toilet and starts peeing.

Oh. 

"You are just so sexy." She tells him, half joking. It's strangely domestic but not at all unsettling. 

This man can't do anything without giving her butterflies. It's getting on her nerves. 

Zayn spits in the sink and rinses his mouth. "Thanks baby." He gives her a quick kiss and heads towards the kitchen. 

That's her boyfriend.


	6. Chapter 6

On Tuesday Niall woke up sick. 

The second her eyes opened she bolted to the bathroom, just making it to the toilet right on time to puke. Louis flipped the fuck out, as she and Harry were in the shower. Together. Niall gagged so hard she pissed herself though, then Louis felt kind of bad. 

She hasn't had a hangover in literally years. She's one hundred percent Irish, for fucks sake. She can handle her liquor and then some. So, she thinks it's the flu. Louis does not. 

"I'm telling you babe, you're an alcoholic. Seen it comin, Harry did too." Louis throws her boyfriend under the bus, he squawks but doesn't deny it. Prick. 

"I didn't even drink last night!" Okay, she had like three beers but she also ate a tonne food so she wasn't even tipsy. 

"Exactly!" Louis slaps her thigh. "Tummy wants alcohol, tummy doesn't get alcohol? Tummy wants revenge!" She rubs Niall's belly, which is already feeling better. She could actually go for a snack, to be honest. 

Harry barks out a loud laugh, covering his mouth all embarrassed when the girls look at him. 

"Here, take a sip of this. Get your fix, little Niall." Louis holds a fifth of cheap vodka she seems to have pulled from thin air up to Niall's mouth. 

"I'm not an alcoholic you twat." Niall grumbles, taking a swig of the drink anyway. It burns her throat and heats her belly up nicely. 

"/I'm not an alcoholic/," Niall's best friend mocks in a poor Irish accent. "Anyone else would have twisted their face all up at just the smell of that shit, here you are taking casual drinks like it's fucking sparkling water." 

"Maybe she's pregnant." Harry offers, completely casual. 

Louis gives Harry a high five, like it was an excellent idea or something. "Good one! I didn't even think of that." 

Niall raises her eyebrow at the two of them. Fucking idiots, they are. 

"What? You fuck like a rabbit and you're not on birth control." Louis shrugs, Harry gasps as if he's just witnessed a murder confession. 

"You're not on B.C.?" The huge dork whispers. They're the only ones here...

Niall snorts. "B.C.? No I'm not on "B.C." it made me fat." 

"Irresponsible, isn't she?" Louis tuts. She started American birth control when Niall did, but that little bitch is naturally thick so all it did to her was make her tits bigger. Niall on the other hand... Her stomach bloated out further than her boobs and it gave her ache. 

"It's okay, we could use a baby around here. Would be fun and cute, and it'll keep Harry busy." Louis attempts to comfort Niall. 

It doesn't work. "What? Then you have a baby. I'm not having a baby." 

Niall knows there's a possibility she /could/ be pregnant, but she doesn't feel like she is? She would know, wouldn't she? Puking one time does not mean you're pregnant, for fucks sake. 

Puking everyday, one to four times a day for three weeks straight however was another story. It was weird, because sometimes certain smells would do it, but after she'd be perfectly fine. 

"Are you sure you can work tonight?" Louis eyes Niall skeptically as she curls another hot roller in her hair while Niall hugs the toilet. She feels like shit right now but once she showers and gets a couple beers in her she'll be just fine. 

"I can't afford to get fired." Niall groans. That's not exactly true, Zayn makes it crystal clear multiple times a week that he would help her financially. 

"If you vomit on someone you'll get fired." Harry appears in the doorway, eating a bowl of cereal. The whole bathroom smells like hot puke but Louis and her boyfriend remain unaffected. 

"I'll text Ben." Harry tells Louis with a mouthful of cinnamon toast crunch. 

That's how she ends up curled up on the sofa watching I Love Lucy episodes while Zayn rubs her legs. 

She's cold and it feels like all of the energy is just drained from her body but she can't fall asleep for some reason.

"Whats the matter with you, babe?" Zayn purrs in her, spooned behind her. 

Niall groans and hides her face in his arm that she's using as a pillow. "Feel like shit." 

She pulls her shit together, ignoring the lump in her throat long enough to roll to her back. "You don't have to stay, you should go out. Go have fun." 

Lord knows she would if she were up for it. She hates missing work nights, she gets paid to party.

"No use, I'll make myself miserable thinking about how I should be here with you." Zayn flutters his lashes on her cheek, like little butterfly kisses. 

Niall is currently a human heart eyed emoticon. Zayn is so sweet, and he completely distracts her from all thoughts of Liam, who hasn't answered any of Niall's texts in eight days. She got the hint when she went to the gym Tuesday in her practically see through spandex to find Max filling in for Liam that Liam is avoiding her. 

And that's fine, because she has Zayn. 

***

Ten weeks. 

Niall made herself an appointment to get a check up and look into her options for birth control. The doctor did routine testing and came back with a happy grin and well, she is ten weeks pregnant. 

She's going to lose her job over this, Niall loves her job. 

"Called it!" Harry cheers, Louis high fives him. 

Niall scowls at both of them. They're such ass holes. 

"What?" Louis shrugs. "He did."

"This is amazing Niall, congratulations!" Harry smiles a big dopey smile, cupping his hands together and already trying to get a feel of her belly. It's still pretty much flat, just a little bloated by her belly button. 

"Who's the dad? I hope it's Zayn. I feel like he'd make pretty babies and he'd be a cool dad." Louis says, more to her boyfriend than to Niall. 

Before Niall can even open her mouth the reply, Harry's agreeing. "Oh yeah, have you seen his face? It's like, perfectly sculpted. He obviously got his mom's looks." 

/Niall/ doesn't even know who Zayn's mom is, so it's a little strange when Louis starts nodding in agreement with her stupid boyfriend. 

"Fucks sake!" Niall pushes Harry's hands away from her, the couple gives her confused looks. "This isn't like, a game of Sims or summat, I'm fucking pregnant! In real life!"

Harry pouts and Louis blinks. "We know that, that's what we're talking about?"

The blonde rolls her eyes, muttering for them to fuck off the whole way to her room, making sure to slam the door /and/ lock it. 

She plops on the bed and thinks. Ten weeks. That could be Zayn or Liam. Neither wore condoms, both came in her. It's most likely Zayn's though, because they had a lot more intercourse than her and Liam. 

How will Zayn take this? They've only been dating for about, well, ten weeks. And should she tell Liam? He's been ignoring her but doesn't he deserve to know? Or she could nip it in the butt, not tell anyone and schedule a quick clinic appointment. 

Oh god. What will her mom think? Fuck fuck fuck. Fuck.

Niall's so fucked. She's already got to come up with some sort of lie for why her mum can't come to her "graduation" in a few months, this just adds to that shit cake. What's she supposed to say? /Hey mum America's great thanks for letting me come here by the way I dropped out of college over a year ago and I'm pregnant with a bastard child/? 

More importantly, will Maura have the heart attack before or after she breaks Niall's neck? She's fucked either way.

***

Zayn came over a little later, worked up and mad. He had some meetings this morning, Niall isn't exactly sure what for. Or what he does for that matter. All she knows is that he's wealthy and it should be illegal for him to look that hot in suits. 

Niall moans around his cock, content to finger herself so Zayn can come on her face. She bobs her head faster, laying her tongue flat so her tongue ring massages the shaft. He stares down at her, brows furrowed and she stares back. Zayn has a thing for eye contact during blow jobs, if she looks away or closes her eyes he'll demand that she opens them. Such a Christian Grey. 

Niall gasps, popping her mouth off of him to give the head a couple opened mouthed kisses while she comes on her own fingers. 

"Fuck," Zayn groans. He slaps his cock on her cheek, around her lips. She darts her tongue out to coax him into putting it back in her mouth, since she's not allowed to use hands. 

"You want it in your mouth?" 

Fuck. Not really, but she nods eagerly anyway. Niall takes in as much as she can without choking so she doesn't have to really taste any of his sperm. Of course that's when Zayn rubs the head all over her tongue, spurting out two more big ropes of come. 

Yucky. Niall spits it in the trash can next to the chair, Zayn doesn't seem to mind. 

"You feel better now?" She kisses his thighs and hips.

Zayn nods and pulls her up by her arms to sit on his lap. "Thank you baby." 

Niall kisses the corner of his mouth, then just admires him. He's really so beautiful, and so so perfect. Why hasn't she fallen in love with him yet? She wishes they could have met a year ago, before she met Liam. Before she met any of those losers who took her shopping as a first date.

Well. Maybe not them. They're fun memories. 

"What happened?" Niall asks quietly. 

When Zayn showed up he was all huffy and puffy and quiet. Obviously irritated. So Niall did the only thing she could think of to cheer him up. She pulled him to her room and push him in the chair and gave him a sloppy blow job. She can be a good girlfriend when it comes to sex stuff.

Zayn rolls his eyes and shakes his head. "Just, bull shit. Nothing for you to worry about." 

Oh. He doesn't want to talk about it, that's fine. 

"What do you want to do tonight? I could take you to dinner," Zayn offers. 

"Just us?" That sounds like a date. He's already her boyfriend, why does the idea of going on a date with him give her butterflies? 

"Yeh if you want. Wine and dine you, all romantic and stuff." Zayn snarls his lip playfully, so Niall kisses it back to normal. 

"You don't have to do all that to get me to put out, you know." Niall flirts, fluttering her lashes and everything.

Zayn laughs, it makes Niall smile because she's the cause for it. She shifted his mood, made it better. It's a good feeling. 

"Like you need an excuse for wine, or to put out." True.

Niall hums and stands up, stretching her arms over head so her back will crack. She swats Zayn's hand when he pokes her belly button. 

"Well I'll take you up on the dinner, gonna have to pass on the wine." Niall takes her shirt off, leaving her completely naked as she rummages through her dresser drawers. 

"Beer night then?" Zayn's still in his white button up shirt with his sleeves rolled to the elbows and his flaccid cock laying on his thigh. It's ridiculous how sexy he is all the time. 

Niall finds her good bra, already deciding she's going to wear her little black dress that's made of lace on the top and silk on the bottom tonight. Zayn always picks fancy places and last time she wore jeggings and a v-neck , needless to say she got some looks. 

Her makeup will only take a minute or two, so hopefully Zayn's ready to go soon too. She's starving. 

"Probably water, maybe some sort of tea." Niall shrugs. "Should I wear tights with this?" 

She asks mostly to change the subject, but also because sometimes Zayn has a preference on her outfits. Usually he doesn't care, but every now and then he'll say something subtle.

Zayn hums. "Heels or flats?" 

Wow. 

"I was thinking sandals? So like, flats I guess." 

He scrunches his face, shaking his head no. "Then no tights." 

He's so lovely. Liam would have snapped his fingers at her until she threw something on so they could go to a Coney Island drive through. Ugh Liam. 

The restaurant is fancy, like Niall knew it would be. Zayn didn't have a reservation but obviously he didn't need one, as he was greeted by polite smiles and ushered to a table the second he walked through the door. 

"Bottle of wine for the table please, red. Finest one you have." Zayn tells the waitress, who nods politely as she hands them their menus. 

"Zayn," Niall waits until the girl walks away so she doesn't embarrass him. "I told you I'm not drinking," 

Zayn puts him menu down and gives her a look, like she's grown two heads or something. "I thought you were joking?" 

Niall shakes her head, Zayn doesn't look pleased. He looks annoyed. "Well I've already ordered it, so you'll have to drink it anyway."

Oh, so he /is/ annoyed. It's just wine, no big deal. Men and their control issues, so dramatic. 

"I can't." Niall maybe be on the fence about keeping the baby or not but as of now it's alive and she might as well treat it nice before she decides to, well. Kill it. 

Zayn huffs through his nose and sets his menu down once again, folding his hands in front of him. He looks like he means business.

But this guy has the power rangers as his laptop background. He's not as intimidating as he likes to come off. 

"Do tell Niall, humor me with why you: an Irish bartender has decided not to drink the wine I've just ordered." 

She's not a bartender. 

"I'm not a bartender." 

He rolls his eyes. "Technicalities. Irrelevant." 

She doesn't make the drinks, she just sells them. She's a shot girl, it doesn't get much simpler than that. 

Niall is very passionate about her career. 

"I'm pregnant." She says, casually sipping the ice water already on the table. 

Zayn blinks, and if she's not mistaken he disguises a grin by tonguing his cheek. "That's how you tell me you're having my baby?" His voice loaded with humor. 

He finds this amusing. 

"Well." Now she's a little nervous. She was perfectly fine telling him she's knocked up, that's her problem not his. But. Now he's somewhat made it his problem, is the problem. 

"Well?"

"Maybe, it's yours. Maybe it's not." Niall purposely avoids eye contact until:

"Liam's?" Zayn says his name so softly, so delicate and not at all how the other man's name should sound coming from those lips. 

She licks her lips, heart racing so fast she could puke. "One of yours. You or him." 

He sighs, staring at her face the entire time the waitress pours their wine. Even while he orders for both of them he doesn't look away from Niall's face. She can't tell what he's thinking. If he's mad or he doesn't care, does he want to break it off? That'll suck, big time but she's gotten over worse. She'll survive. 

"Does he know?" Zayn asks, finally. 

"No." He would know, if he'd answer the phone. But he hasn't, and Zayn doesn't need to know that. 

He hums, reaching across the table to grab one of her hands. "Don't tell him." 

She can't. It's kinda hard to talk to someone who's actively avoiding your existence. 

"Why?" She says instead. 

"Are you still seeing him?" Niall shakes her head. "You're only with me, correct? No others?" 

That's... casual, to ask someone who's your girlfriend. Isn't that the point of monogamy? One girlfriend, one boyfriend. 

"Just you." Niall promises, opening her palm so Zayn's fingers can trace patterns on it. The motion is oddly soothing. 

"Then I would like for it to be our baby. Mine and yours." 

Whoa. That was, unexpected to say the least. What is he? There is no way this man is real right now. He's got to be a figment of her imagination, there's no other explanation for Zayn Malik. 

"I'm in love with you, I'm not getting any younger, I would like to have a kid anyway," It feels like he's trying to persuade her to let him father her child, how ironic. 

"I have one condition though. Well, two actually." 

There it is, the catch. There's always a catch. 

"Okay."

"No more Liam. If I'm going to raise this baby, I want to be the only man doing it. It will break my heart if you go back to him." 

Wow, okay. Heavy stuff. Tears well in her eyes, she tries her best to blink them away. This is probably those hormones everyone talks about. 

"I'm done with Liam. I haven't talked to him in weeks." Not by choice, or from lack of trying. But it's the truth. 

Zayn smiles fondly, clearly happy to hear that. "That makes me so happy to hear that." 

"What's your second condition?" 

He bites his lip, it looks down right obscene for this setting, for this conversation. 

"That you marry me." Niall's eyes go wide, and probably a little crossed too. "Not today, not this year. Not even the next ten years if you're not ready. But eventually, I want you to marry me." 

That does it for her. Niall cries, tears streaming down her face not because of the hormones but because she is actually so fucked. Here she is with a perfect man sitting in front of her, who will give her everything she's ever wanted, who loves her and reminds her that he does almost every night even though she has not said it back yet. She's so, she doesn't deserve him or anyone like him. She deserves a Liam, not the actual Liam but someone who will treat her like a Sophia for how she's treated Zayn. 

Yet somehow she still finds herself nodding /okay/. Zayn's ecstatic smile only makes her feel worse as he leans across the table to kiss her. 

She's fucked. 

***

"Hello Niall!" Her mother chirps through the phone. Zayn grins beside Niall. "I was starting to think you'd never call, must of rang you six times these passed few days." Maura adds on before Niall can say anything back. 

"I know Mam, been a bit busy is all." Hearing her mom's accent has made her own thicker. It's an foreign thing, Americans wouldn't understand. 

"Have yeh? You keepin' warm?" She tends to forget Niall lives in tropical weather now. "Just had some showers here earlier." 

"I'm in Florida Ma I'm always warm." 

"What's the matter with you Love, you feeling alright? You're taking care of yourself yeh?" They literally just talked two weeks ago. Typical mom, always worried. 

"Yeah, I'm fine but I've got something to tell you and I don't know how you're gonna take it." Zayn squeezes her thigh for encouragement, she's grateful. It's been a little over a week since she told him she's pregnant and since then he's given her a promise ring- /not/ and engagement ring. A promise ring. 

It's beautiful and huge and she could blind somebody with it. Niall is in love (with the ring). 

"Oh boy. You weren't arrested were ya?" 

Niall snorts. "No, I'm not in that sort of trouble." 

Her mom tuts, Niall can picture her shaking her head on the sofa. "When's it due then?" 

What the fuck. "How did you know?" 

"Never mind that, I was joking." 

Oh shit. Oh. Shit. "Oh. Well, surprise!" 

Maura sighs. "When are you coming home?" 

"I am home Ma, I'll come visit as soon as I can though." She promises wet eyed. She hasn't been out there in almost two years, forget getting her mother on a plane. You'd have better luck bathing a cat. 

"No I think it's time you came home now. I already know you quit school, they sent me papers about your visa." 

Zayn raises his eyebrows at her, she pointedly ignores it. She can't have two important people in her life judging her at the same time.  
Zayn counts as an important person, right? Like, he wants to help her raise a kid. That seemed important?

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I just know that's the only reason you let me come here and I didn't want to disappoint you,"

"Niall." She mother cuts her off. "You're my baby, you know that I'll always support you know matter what stupid shite you get yourself into." 

"I know Mam." 

"Are you keeping the baby?" Her mother whispers even though Niall knows there's nobody else in her house. Unless she found herself a boyfriend she's keeping secret.

"Yeah, that um. There was more I wanted to tell you." 

"Don't you tell me you're planning to raise a child unmarried. Bad enough you made it out of wedlock, Lord knows I'm not one to judge but don't you tell me you don't know the daddy." 

Niall squeezes her eyes shut. This is the most embarrassed she's been in a long time. Thanks Mam. 

"Of course not Mam actually I-" Niall glances at Zayn, the ring suddenly feels so heavy on her finger. Prominent. 

"I'm actually engaged Ma."


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ill edit this later tonight xox

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DON'T BE MAD AT ME I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IVE JUST DONE

Niall hung on for as long as she could, but at fifteen weeks she was a little too noticeably knocked up for her usual shot girl out fits.

"I'm gonna miss my little Irish alky!" Normani pouts. She hasn't let go of Niall since they closed about forty minutes ago. Niall's perfectly okay with it, she's going to miss her too.

"I'll visit, bring the baby in for a shot of milk from the best bartender in St. Pete's." Niall promises, kissing her friends head. It's so unreal that today was her last day... couple more months would have been her three year anniversary too.

"That's sweet but I detest children." Nick sighs, sipping his drink.

"Wait you're pregnant?" Eleanor, the new girl who's been hired to replace Niall asks.

She seems nice, a little ditsy too so she'll do just fine here. She's been not so subtly flirting with Louis, and surprisingly Louis had been flirting back. Harry looks wrecked, there's something weird going on with those three.

"Can't you tell?" Niall laughs. Her shirt is clinging to round belly, exposing skin under her bellybutton that it used to cover. Mani pats her belly lovingly.

Eleanor tilts her head to the side, it shows on her face how hard her brain is working to figure this out. "No."

Louis leans back on Harry, who whispers something in her neck while Louis sucks her bottom lip, eyes glued on Eleanor.

So weird.

"Well, you should have seen me a few weeks ago." Niall longs to be skinny again. But at least she isn't puking anymore, there's a win.

"You're gorgeous." Mani squeezes her. "And engaged. My babies all grown up!"

As if it wasn't enough enough that Niall has to tell Zayn practically every day that they are not engaged. One slip up on the phone to your mother could really do some damage.

"For the thousandth time it's a promise ring."

"Okay so you're pregnant and he thinks it's okay to give you a promise ring? Girl," Nick judges. Niall has to admit, she's even going to miss him. Not enough to plan dinners with him or anything, but in spirit...

Luckily Normani goes into a rant in her defense so she sends Zayn a quick text, hopefully he's not sleeping. He probably is though, he's been busy all week. _**anal night ! see ya in a bit**_

"Oi! Least she's got a ring prick, have you even got a boyfriend?" Louis pipes in, a bit late but just as charming. At least Niall thinks so, Harry too probably. They're so grossly in love.

And Niall's four hundred and ten percent sure Eleanor is coming back to theirs tonight. She really just wanted a quiet night of snuggling with Zayn who's been keeping her bed warm since she left. Shame.

 _ **holy shit should I get lube?**_  Flashed across the top of her screen. What the fuck? Niall opens her chat and oh. Okay, she did not mean anal. Definitely not.

**_ha i def meant final !_ **

Zayn's been making a big deal out of making sure Niall always has a ride home, so Harry's been driving her. She doesn't say anything when Louis pushes her to get in the front so she can sit in the back with Eleanor, or when Harry's speed doesn't go over fifteen but he still runs red lights trying to watch with his rearview mirror. Luckily it's a short drive, because it was definitely an awkward one.

"You should probably take them back to yours," Niall tells Harry. He whips his head to the side looks at her with his wild eyes. "More privacy, she seems like the kinda girl who likes it in the kitchen."

Louis has her hand in Eleanor's shorts and her tongue in her mouth. It's actually kinda hot. Weird, but hot.

"Good idea. Bye Niall." Harry reaches across her lap to push her door open, when she gets out his tires screech from how fast he's going. Dork.

The apartment doors not locked, no surprise there. She wonders if Zayn fell back asleep? Niall's not really up for much but she wants to kiss him a little before she goes to bed.

"Zaaaaayn!" Niall sings, locking the door behind her. She strips off her shorts and bra along the way to her room, leaving the clothes where ever they land.

"Hi baby." Niall coos at Zayn's sleepy face. Poor babe, oh well.

Zayn hums. "Bring my boy here."

They had an ultrasound yesterday to find out the sex of the baby, but they couldn't tell for sure because it wouldn't open its legs. Niall doesn't care, but Zayn is dead set on it being a boy.

She walks over to the bed and sits on her knees so her belly is in Zayn's face, immediately he gives it kisses. She's not jealous. She's not.

"Kiss me now, stupid belly." Niall plops down beside him and hooks her hand around the back of his neck, pulling him in for little kisses.

"Mmm," Zayn pulls away after three, which is just not enough. Liam used to give her so much kisses. Liam... "Are you, are you drunk?"

Ut oh, Daddy's mad. Niall giggles at calling Zayn daddy. Maybe that's something he might be into?

"No." She denies, going in for more kisses.

"Babe," he flinches away from her, causing her to pout. "Your mouth tastes like Grey Goose."

It's Smirnoff actually, but does anybody really know the difference?

Zayn sits up, he's topless and it's a lovely view. Niall changes her mind. She would like to fuck him.  
"Did you seriously fucking drink tonight?"

She had little relapse, big whoop. A drink or two isn't even a big deal, and it was her last night at the club. She couldn't just not drink on her last night at the club.

"Are you fucking stupid or what?"

"Why are you being mean? Stop yelling at me." Maybe she's hormonal, maybe she's drunk, either way she really needs him to stop being rude and kiss her.

"What the fuck were you thinking?" Zayn jerks his arm away when Niall tries to touch him.

"Baby,"

"No, you're fucking disgusting. I can't even looking you right now." He throws the blankets off of him. He's only in boxers, tight boxers that hug his cute little butt perfectly and Niall wants to pinch it. Zayn literally slaps her hand when she tries.

"Stop being mean!" Zayn scoffs, hastily pulling his pants on. No that's, no. No leaving. "What about anal?" Niall persuades with a little hiccup.

"I love you but I'm seconds away from ringing your neck, stop touching me."

She doesn't even think before she says it, not really anyway.

"If you leave I'm calling Liam." She knows that's going to make him even madder, and maybe that's why she said it.

Zayn leaps over the bed, next thing she knows his hand is around her throat and she's pinned to the mattress. She can still breathe, but just barely.

"Shut the fuck up!" He growls, squeezing her neck.

What does it say about Niall as a person if she finds this arousing? One of her legs curls around his hip, she can't really be blamed. She probably looks pretty pathetic trying to grind on him while he's choking her. She doesn't care.

"Fuck!" He lets go of her throat and gets back to his knees, rubbing his hand over his face. Niall just watches him.

She should definitely be more concerned he just tried to kill her, probably. But. It was hot, and he's hot. He wasn't really going to hurt her anyway, Zayn's not like that.

"I'm sorry." He doesn't look at her, but obviously he's still mad. She thinks he is at least. It was a lot easier to tell when Liam, he shook all over and his face gets beet red.

Liam was so simple, yet so complicated.

"I just love you so fucking much, I'm here and I know you don't love me or whatever and I'm frustrated Niall." Zayn confesses.

See, Niall doesn't deserve him. She's so shit to him all the time. She's a shit person.

"I do love you." Or the idea of him at least.

"Then why did you say that?"

"I'm sorry." Niall promised herself she'd stop lying, especially to Zayn. It's just hard is all. And she's in trouble. She hates being in trouble.

Zayn licks his teeth, staring at her with so much intensity Niall has to look away. She's quite bit drunk though so she settles for closing her eyes instead.

"Why did you drink while you're pregnant with my baby?"

He's so sure that this is his baby it's so sweet but sometimes it's honestly so annoying. It's like he doesn't even care about Niall just her stupid belly. She needs attention too.

"It was just one drink, it'll be fine." She lies. She lost track after four, but they were shots not drinks so it wasn't that much.

"You can't fucking do that Niall." Zayn sounds so stressed out. So annoyed. And annoying... "I can give you the world, I don't ask for much in return."

Niall uses what's left of her energy to sit herself up and wrap her arms around Zayn's middle from behind. "I know. I'm sorry."

He sighs. They're quiet for a minute until: "So you love me huh?"

Oh /now/ he notices. This is too much, too much happening for one night. She's hardly even horny anymore. Well. She won't be awake long enough to get off anyway.

"In love or just regular love?"

Fuck. She's no dummy, she knows what he wants to hear.

"In love." She lies. She could be in love with him. It will happen eventually.

Zayn turns around with a big beautiful smile on his gorgeous face and tackles her, this time giving her kisses instead of trying to hurt her.

About time.

***

"I can't believe you're leaving me." Louis pouts. "After all this time, everything we've been through. Why is it so easy for you to just leave? Was it something I did?"

Niall rolls her eyes and pats her friends shoulder comfortingly. All of her shit is already moved into Zayn's, and her room is already rented out to Eleanor. Louis seen this coming, she was prepared and everything.

"Babe. There's no room here for a baby." She tells her best friend for the millionth time. Zayn has a beautiful house, Niall's only been there a handful of times but it's fancy and classy. Everything is so new and shiny. Clean.

"Babies are so small. There's room every where." Louis gestures around the living room.

It's a decent size for an apartment but it's already cluttered enough with furniture and decorations that have been there for years. It's time to move on, as much as it scares her it's time for her to grow up.

"What about when it gets bigger? All the baby stuff and all of Zayn's stuff... this place is too small. You and Harry, and apparently Eleanor need privacy."

Baby stuff... what does a baby even need? Like cribs and diapers and stuff? Toys? God Niall's so fucked.

"When am I going to see you? You're moving across the bloody country!" Louis whines.

"Zayn's house is like an hour away!" She's told her this four times in this goodbye hug already.

"Our house." Zayn corrects her, scratching this stubble on the sofa next to Harry. Harry's goodbye was much more simple, a hug and a kiss and the little curly was satisfied.

Zayn and Harry's goodbye was a bit awkward, Harry went in for a hug and Zayn turned to the side to avoid it. There's been some tension here ever since the whole Niall coming home drunk situation a few weeks ago.

"Our house, that means everyday you aren't working you have to come spend the night with me."

Zayn already told her not to get ridiculous with having company over, "preferably no one spending the night and no one leaves the first floor under any circumstances." That's not happening though, she needs her girl time.

"Me too?" Harry asks. He sounds like a little kid, Niall sincerely hopes she's the only one who notices how annoyed Zayn is.

"Of course, gunna need a babysitter aren't I?"

Zayn's mouth twists to the side, Niall ignores his pissy attitude. Niall getting a little tipsy had nothing to do with Louis or Harry or even Normani who actually made her the drinks. They aren't her caretakers, for fucks sake.

"I will take excellent care of Larriella!" Harry promises cheerfully while his girlfriend pinches Niall's belly.

See? Everything is about the damn baby. Nothing is ever about her anymore. It's not even here and it's already stealing all of Niall's friends!

"Well." Zayn stands up before Harry can touch him. "Are you ready to go babe? I have an early morning and we still need to get settled."

"Yeah. I think I'm ready." Niall kisses Louis and Harry a couple more times before calling goodbye to replacement Niall aka Eleanor.

Eleanor has her job, her friends, even her apartment. But that bitch better stay the fuck away from her ex personal trainer or there will be problems.

***

The best thing about having your own house is being able to listen to your music as loud as you want without neighbors calling the supervisor. Niall was definitely taking advantage of her alone time in Zayn's - their, super huge house.

Beyonce blasting at full volume was the only way to go. She just put her minty face mask on so while she waited for it to dry Niall decided to try a few dance moves out in the huge wall mirror in the master bedroom. Other than the traditional Irish jig, baby girl ain't got no rhythm. She makes herself laugh with her twerk attempts though, so it's all good fun.

The music pauses and Niall figures the songs just switching, so she stops her poor excuse for dancing and settles for checking out her own butt. It's actually growing, there's a little bit of meat back there and-

"What on earth are you doing?" Zayn's voice echoes through the room. He sounds amused, how much has he seen?

"Did you turn off my Yonce?" Niall fires back. That's just rude! You can disrespect her all you want but don't you dare disrespect Queen Bey.

"It was loud." Zayn's fancy dress shoes click across the hardwood floor. "What in the world is on your face?"

Niall slaps his cheek fondly. "Not everybody is born as beautiful as you dear. Kiss me,"

He makes a face, like he's bewildered and grossed out. He puts his fingers on her puckered lips.

"Go clean yourself up, we have guests." He tells her, shaking his head on his way out. Rude.

Niall takes a quick shower and puts a little makeup on, throwing on some black yoga pants and a plain white shirt. Good enough. Who's here, anyway? She doesn't recognize the voices in the kitchen.

"There she is!" Zayn appears to be in a much better mood now, meeting her half way to kiss her and the belly.

"Hi." It's odd for her to feel shy, but there are a bunch of men in the kitchen and they're all staring at her. She recognizes Naughty Boy and a few others who's names she never learned.

"Why don't you get us some drinks, babe." Zayn nudges her towards to the fridge before taking a seat at the table with his friends.

Niall doesn't say anything, but what the fuck? They can get their own drinks. Do they want coffees or alcohol? /Drinks./ She ought to get these creeps water from the toilet bowl.

"Leave it to Malik to wife the fuckin' stripper!" One of the guys, definitely Shahid says. He doesn't even try to whisper.

"She wasn't a stripper, dick head." Zayn defends. Niall grins at her man sticking up for her until he ruins it by continuing. "She can't dance for shit."

They all laugh at her expense, Niall ignores their stares as she not so politely slams the glass cups on the table. She went with the whiskey in the freezer, secretly waiting for one of them to ask for something lighter. Like a wine cooler.

Niall turns to Zayn and bats her eyelashes like a good little housewife- thats what he wanted wasn't it? For her to act like their waitress while she pretends to be deaf.

"Is that all honey? Or would you like something else?"

One of the guys- a really ugly version of Zayn snorts. "Is that an attitude I sense?"

Zayn sides eyes the uglie. "Well I thought you would join us, I haven't seen you all day."

No. She'd rather drive cross country in a two seater with Nick Grimshaw than stay in here with Zayn's friends. They give her bad vibes.

"I'm not feeling well," Niall rubs her stomach for affect. Obviously she feels fine, and Zayn knows it. But will he call her out in front of his "bros"? Probably not. "I'd like to go lie down, if that's alright."

Zayn hums, raising an eyebrow at her. So challenging. So intimidating. She's internally rolling her eyes.

"You can't keep yourself together to sit with your fiance? I've been gone all day, you haven't missed me?"

So many low blows in just a few words, wow. First of all, they are not engaged and he fucking knows it. Also, she just hates when men turn their emotions into her emotions to guard themselves and that's another thing he fucking knows.

If Zayn weren't so proper around certain people she would call him out on it all.

"Of course, how inconsiderate of me." Niall mutters, taking a seat next to him.

"Dinners going to cook itself then?" Some fat slob says, they all laugh. Except Zayn, who rolls his eyes and shakes his head in good humor.

So, they're all sexist. Niall's willing to bet Zayn is the only one at the table in a relationship, because this isn't him. He doesn't act like this. He's sweet and caring and thoughtful-

"Why don't you cook it then?" Zayn says. All of his childish friends "ooo" like they're in grade school.

They all stare at Niall like she's the entertainment of the night, but there's one guy in particular who really creeps her out. He hasn't looked away or said anything, he just watches her with hooded eyes. She's uncomfortable. She wants to go home, and the worst part is she /is/ home. She wants to go back to her apartment, back to the days when she'd come home to find Liam in her bed.

Liam.

She can't think like that anymore. It's been months, Liam left her in the hallway and literally never looked back. It's time to move on. She scoots closer to Zayn and hugs his arm, semi regretting it when his guests coo. Except the creepiest creep. He just licks his lip and takes another sip of his drink while he watches her like a television. It's unsettling.

It goes on like that for a while, manly banter and staring. When she excuses herself to go to the bathroom, Zayn asks for a kiss on the cheek before she gets up. He's really annoying around his friends. Hopefully they'll go home soon.

She's just washing her hands when there's a knock on the door.

"Just a minute!" Niall's surprised how polite that actually came out.

She's really irritated and emotional. Damn hormones. She admires herself in the mirror, how swollen her tummy actually is when she hears the door opening. Assuming it's Zayn, she doesn't turn around to look.

"Hey." Super creep appears behind her in the mirror. Niall screams, startled.

"Get the fuck out!"

"Shh! Calm down. Nobody knows I'm in here, relax baby." Ew, is he hitting on her? Ew. She's so grossed out.

"I bought a couple drinks for you at the club, remember you kept rubbing your ass on my dick when you walked by? I knew you wanted me but I never had a chance to talk to you."

Uh. What? What's going on here... Niall blinks at him and moves towards the door, Creepy blocks her.

"I already locked the door, I seen the way you were looking at me girl." He reaches his hand out to stroke her cheek. Niall slaps him on his. Hard.

While he's distracted with holding his face she pushes him and runs to the door. He actually did lock it, sick.

"Zayn!" Niall doesn't really run to the kitchen, because Zayn has yelled at her about running in the house but she does jog a little.

"Shush don't be rude, carry on." Zayn doesn't even look at her, paying more attention to his friends.

"Zayn I need to talk to you." She's so close to crying. Today was such a good day too.

Zayn huffs and politely excuses himself. He drags her by her wrist to the den.

"Your friend just hit on me in the bathroom!" She doesn't know what came over her, but she's suddenly just so upset. She wraps her arms around Zayn and cries, shaking and everything.

She's so uncomfortable with these people in the house.

"What friend? Who was it?" Zayn rubs the back of her head, he sounds angry and for some odd reason that makes her feel safe.

She hates herself for wondering if Liam would react the same way.

Niall doesn't say anything, she just keeps crying and fuck when did she become so weak? Zayn picks her up by the backs of her thighs, immediately she holds on to his neck, burying her face in it and locking her legs around him. Her grip tightens when her carries her into the kitchen and reluctantly she lets go when he sets her on the counter.

"Get the fuck out." He says to the entire group of men at the table.

Wow, okay. That was unexpected.

All of his friends stare at him, one of them even laughs. Zayn stomps over to one of the drawers and rips it open. Niall's only been here a few days and has no business in the kitchen anyway so she has to idea what's in there, until Zayn pulls out a gun. Her heart stops. _Please don't let him shoot somebody, I am not about this life._

Zayn cocks the weapon and aims it at the group. "I said get the fuck out!"

"Zayn!" Niall grips the counter, scared as shit and he doesn't even glance at her.

"Put that shit away, what the hell are you doing?" Shahid yells. The rest of them look unaffected, amused even.

This is all so weird Niall feels like she's dreaming.

"Baby stop," Niall pleads. "I love you, you're scaring me please!" She doesn't even know what she's saying at this point, all she knows is Zayn's finger is twitching on the trigger and this can't end well.

"Put the gun down, ya psycho. We're gunna leave, alright?" Shahid stands up with both hands in front of him, like puppies the others follow him.

Zayn waits until the door slams shut to toss the gun on the counter opposite of Niall. She has no idea where the Creep went but hopefully he left too.

  
"Are you alright?" He watches her. She nods, wide eyed.

He walks over to her and kisses her on the forehead. "I love you, do you understand that?"

Niall nods. He's a lot scarier than Liam. Intense is probably a more fitting word.

"I won't let anything happen to you, ever."


	8. Chapter 8

"Why are you like this!" Niall screams.

Zayn's got her pinned down with her arms above her head.

"Say it! Say it now!" He demands.

"I hate you! Leave me alone," She whimpers.

He digs his fingers in her side yet again, causing her to squirm but she can't get away because he's on top of her.

"Okay okay!" Niall half caves, the second he lets up she's kicking him and gunning it the hell out of here.

"Say it then, or I'll tickle you until you piss again."

He isn't bluffing. He faked like he wanted to cuddle earlier and once she was trapped he tickled her for no reason! And yeah, she peed a little. Then he scared her and she peed a lot. He hasn't stopped making fun of her since, and it isn't fair.

"You're the sexiest DJ in Florida! The best, the most talented in all of America!"

He isn't even a DJ, but he claims he is. Hence why he forced Niall to say he's the best DJ in the world, but that's just pushing it. Harry's a really good DJ, and Nick is alright. She hasn't even seen him in action!

"In the world, the entire world!" His sinful fingers attack her armpits, which are way more ticklish than her sides, or he feet which were so rudely attacked a few minutes ago.

"In the world!" Niall screams. "The world I swear the whole world I'm sorry!"

He stops tickling her, thank god but he doesn't release her arms. She's still on edge, Zayn cannot be trusted.

"Now gimme kiss, since you said you hated me."

She puckers her lips and when he's close enough she licks him instead. Ha! That'll teach him.

He apparently doesn't care though, because he does it back and somehow that turns into them making out. If this is what married life is going to be like, maybe it won't be so bad.

Zayn's the first to pull away, Niall's tongue already misses his. He hums, pecking her lips a couple more times. It's nice, she really likes kissing.

"We have to get ready." He reminds her.

Niall groans. Erection killed.

"Do I have to go? You go and tell me what happens." She smiles real pretty, fluttering her lashes for extra persuasion.

He hums, smiling at her all wrinkly eyed and handsome. He would look cute as baby, if this babies his, she means.

"Can't do much without you there babe."

Stupid doctors appointments. She hates them. The damn baby won't even open its legs so the doctors can't even make a guess on what the sex is. Zayn's dead set on a boy, /men/.

"Fine but you're buying me tacos after."

***

The doctors are pretty sure it's a girl and Zayn's not so happy about it.

"What's the matter baby?" Niall asks, she already knows but she asks anyway. He doesn't push her away when she rubs his head, so that's got to be good right?

"You told me you thought it was a boy." Zayn grumbles, cutting off a few cars and earning some angry honks which he promptly ignores.

"I was just agreeing with you, how could I possibly know for sure?"

She doesn't even really want the thing, like, at all. It's just, being with Zayn means she's set for life. He wanted a baby, she just so happened to be pregnant, so she kept it. Are there flaws in that logic? Sure but it makes sense to her.

"I need a boy." Zayn insists. Jesus.

"So we'll have another one, not a big deal." She bluffs to keep the peace. She's planning on getting her tubes tied after she squirts this one out.

Zayn growls and rolls his eyes. Such a cranky butt. "You don't understand."

"You're actually mad about this." Niall shakes her head incredulously.

It's a snap decision then and there without any actually thought put into it as she opens her messages and sends a text to Liam. He hasn't answered in months, but he reads them. It's a simple sad face. Zayn's phone buzzes a few seconds later but he doesn't check it.

"Don't text on your phone when you're in the car with me. It's rude."

"You're rude." She sends a smiling tongue emoji to her group chat with Normani, Louis, and Harry just because she can. Zayn's phone buzzes again too.

"If you don't put the phone away you'll see rude." Zayn threatens.

Niall's not in the mood to indulge in this... whatever it is.

"Drop me off in St. Pete's."

She's sick of dealing with his shit. It's still pretty early but maybe Louis will be up, she misses Louis a lot. All of her time is spent alone or with Zayn, she would like an escape from both right now.

Zayn snorts. "No."

No? "Then pull over. I'll walk."

They're like thirty minutes away by car according to her phone GPS that still considers the apartment "home", every so often she'll get a notification telling her how many minutes it'll take for her to get there. Makes her a little sad if she's honest.

"I'm not stopping." Zayn turns onto a highway, picking up speed to adjust to the new limit.

"Pull over or I'll jump out." She threatens. Childish? Maybe. Does she care? Nope.

Zayn looks at her and with one finger he presses the unlock button on his steering wheel, unlocking her door. Wow. Okay.

"Go on then. Doors open."

"What the fuck."

She's beyond irritated, close enough to want to put her hands on him and she doesn't fight, she's not a fighter. She scrolls through her phone, debating on calling a cab or Harry? A cab will cost a shit tonne money but Harry will probably take all day.

"What did I just say about your phone? You could at least wait to send your pathetic sad faces to Liam when I'm not two feet away from you." Zayn yells.

Today's the first time she's ever sent Liam a sad face, and she knows for sure Zayn couldn't have saw her screen because her purse is on her lap blocking it.

"I don't even talk to Liam." Niall mumbles.

She's sick of feelings. She tried so hard to guard herself because look what happened when she didn't. She fell blindly for Liam and now that's she's starting to fall for Zayn she still can't win.

"You mean he doesn't talk to you." Zayn corrects.

A lump forms in Niall's throat. "You go through my phone then?" No use denying it. He's hit the nail right on the head anyway.

"You're not even denying it. You're so fucking pathetic and ungrateful-"

"Ungrateful?" Niall throws her phone in her bag and turns towards him. "I'm having a fucking baby for you, and you had the nerve to give me attitude because it's a girl! But I'm ungrateful? I don't even want this thing, I only kept it because you did!"

"What? That's just stupid, why would you do something like that? What could you possibly gain from having a child you don't want?" Zayn rants. He doesn't get it.

"You! You fucking idiot!" Niall pulls her own hair in frustration. "If I would have known how much of an ass hole you are I would have never even told you."

That's true. He seemed perfect until he started showing his flaws. Well, he still is perfect but he's so annoying sometimes. A real crybaby.

The rest of the ride home was silent, which was good because Niall's still angry and so fucking hormonal she doesn't know if she'll scream or cry.

"I'm going to Louis' tomorrow." Niall decides when they start taking their shoes off. Zayn doesn't have a maid or anything so he's really crazy about people not walking through his house with shoes.

"If you don't want to drive me I'll take one of your cars and drive myself." Niall would prefer it that way. They need time apart.

"Don't be ridiculous. I'll call a driver." Zayn walks towards her so they're close enough to touch, but they don't. Niall opens her mouth to argue and he puts his finger over her lips. "I'll call a driver, or you'll stay home."

***

Niall didn't end up going to Louis' because it turns out Louis' spending the week at Harry's parents beach house so she had the driver take her shopping instead. She got some new clothes since her old stuff doesn't fit her anymore and she was just asking an employee for help with diaper purchasing when her phone beeps.

"Well you're not going to need size six until the baby is about six months," the lady gently explains. Niall's cart is filled with baby shit, granted it's probably all the wrong shit but. She's trying here.

"I'm so fucked." Niall shakes her head and she digs her phone out of her bag. It's probably Zayn. He seemed to be in a better mood this morning and she doesn't want to ruin that.

Liam: **Can we tlk?**

Holy shit.

Holy shit.

"Um." Niall pushes the cart of baby crap away from her in a panic, like Liam can see it or something.

He sends another one before she replies to the first.

**in person if thts alright.**

"Are you-" the woman who was helping her looks a little nervous. Niall can relate.

"I have to go." Niall shakes her head and books it out of the store, jumping in the back seat before the driver even has time to come around and open her door.

She tells Liam to meet her at the diner by the gym before telling the driver the same. It's probably fucked up to go meet your ex in your kind of fiances car but. She's desperate.

It's warm out, but there's a slight breeze so it's not suspicious for her to put her hoodie on. It just barely hides her belly so she covers it with her purse. Liam's already sitting down in the back with his hands folded staring at the table. Fuck. He looks so soft and tired. Beautiful.

He looks up when Niall sits down, cracking a small uncomfortable smile which Niall returns.

"Hey." He says.

Tears are already welling in Niall's eyes. Stupid hormones. Good thing he sunglasses hide her eyes.

"Hi."

"Been a while," Liam twists his fingers, Niall notices his ring is missing. Oh.

Her first thought is that Sophia divorced him, she certainly would if she were her. But she knows Liam better, he'd be a wreck if he had to go through a divorce. He's the type to beat a dead horse, so to speak. Plus his parents are super religious and they'd be really disappointed. Her second thought is maybe he took it off for her and it's just in his pocket or something?

Doesn't matter though, because Liam is openly staring- glaring maybe at her promise ring. It makes her feel a little sick that he's seen it.

"You're engaged?" Liam looks at her with his trademark sad eyes. She wants to kiss him happy again.

She can't think like that though. So instead she folds her hands on her lap, out of view.

"Congratulations." He mutters.

"Thanks." She could tell him the truth, but what would that change? Nothing between them, that's for sure. And she can't do that to Zayn. He loves her and she's starting to love him, kind of.

"Zayn?" Liam asks.

This is not how she wanted this to go. She's been trying to talk to him for months and when he finally let's her he brings up Zayn? No. No.

"Why are we here?" Niall asks, not unkind, but there's got to be a reason he wants to talk now so there's no need for small talk.

"I um." Liam coughs awkwardly into his fist. "I seen on Facebook you're pregnant."

Mother fucker. They aren't even friends on Facebook... they have like two mutual friends and Niall doesn't talk to either of them. Stalker.

"Yeah." Niall nods. Great. _Let's waste our time talking about Zayn and the stupid baby. That's exactly what I want to do with you._

"Apparently it's not mine then," He half asks, referring to the ring on her finger.

Niall closes her eyes, trying to calm herself down. A waitress sets a salad and a sandwich in front of Liam before asking Niall if she wanted anything. Loaded question. Niall tells her no thank you.

"Doesn't matter, does it?" Niall laughs, dry and humorless.

"Hmm?" Liam asks, mouth full of lettuce.

"If she's yours. It doesn't matter, right?" This just confirms what Niall already knows, they will never properly be together. It just sucks to hear him say it.

"It's a girl? You're having a girl?" Liam goes all doe eyed and fond.

Why can't that be Zayn's reaction? There's so much she loves about both of them, if she could take all of her favorite things about them and combine them into one man she'd be the happiest girl in the world.

"Yeah I guess." Niall snaps. Fuck the baby (for now), there's more important things to talk about.

"It would matter, absolutely it would." Liam sets down his fork and stares at her. It feels like a business meeting. "I'd have to tell Soph, then we could work out a custody agreement. Fifty fifty, ours on weekends and yours on weekdays."

Wow. Not only is that a slap in the face to her but he really thinks his wife would be alright with that? Raising a child her husband had with another woman... what a fucking idiot. She hates that she fell for him. If she had one wish in the entire world it'd be that she never walked into that gym a year ago, that she never signed up for a personal trainer, and especially that she never ever let said personal trainer kiss her.

"What was point of being with me?" Niall asks, wiping away angry tears.

"Niall..." Liam says softly, sad like he pities her.

She doesn't need anyone's pity, especially Liam Payne's.

"No really. Was it just sex? Because you obviously love your wife and-"

"I love you too though," Liam cuts her off.

"What, like as a friend? A fucking person-"

"Does it really matter? I do love you Niall. I care about you. The sex was awesome but it wouldn't have lasted so long if I didn't." He shrugs, taking a bite of his sandwich.

"You obviously love me too, so I don't see why you're engaged to that Zayn guy if you're in love with me."

Niall's jaw drops. "Because he actually wants to be with me you idiot!"

Liam just confirmed he wouldn't leave Sophia, yet he's questioning why Niall's in a new relationship? He's so jealous and he doesn't have a right to be. Nothing is fair with Liam.

"But you want to be with me?" He says it like it's a fact, not like he's being cocky but like it's something he knows for sure.

"That's never going to happen though is it?"

Liam makes a confused face, immediately Niall gets the urge to slap it. "We were together? And then you decided to run off and fuck around with Zayn."

"Only every time you ran off to fuck around with your wife." Niall spits. A few costumers look at them, either because of the conversation or because Americans seem to be obsessed with her accent Niall's not sure.

Liam doesn't have an answer to that, he just stares at her all sad and pathetic.

"I have to go. I won't text you again, I'm sorry." Niall grabs her purse, this time not caring if he covers her fat belly or not and walks as fast as possible out of the diner. Again she climbs into the back before the drivers even out, he's either relieved with how low maintenance she is or irritated she won't let him do his job.

Just as she's swinging the door closed its yanked back open. Liam, breathless and red stands in front of her. She opens her mouth to tell him off and without another word he cups her jaw and kisses her. Hard yet soft and it shouldn't make her feel so much relief, kissing Liam is like going home after a year's vacation and it shouldn't feel that way.

"You can always text or call me." Liam whispers against her lips. "Don't ever forget that."

He kisses her lips then her forehead before shutting her door and walking back into the restaurant. The driver stares at her with an expression she doesn't care to read.

Later that night she's cuddling into Zayn's side while he does something on his phone. He doesn't try to hide the screen or make sure she isn't looking, he isn't sneaky about it and that's really nice.

"Hey," she whispers, looking up at him with her chin on his chest.

He smiles down at her. He looks sleepy, he always looks sleepy. "Hey."

"I really," Niall sighs, suddenly a little shy. "I love you."

Zayn grins, teeth showing all perfect and beautiful. "I love you too babe."

She pushes herself up to kiss him, convincing herself it's the best kiss she's had all day before she lays back on his chest and focuses on the television.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> come tell me how awful this is and how much you hate me on twitter<3 @fxcknouiam

"Here hold her like this," Doniya adjusts the small baby girl in Niall's arms with an uneasy expression.

Niall remains stiff and awkward, afraid of angering or breaking the little thing. She looks so much like Zayn. It was adorable until Niall had to hold it, then it became terrifying.

She obviously has minimal to no experience with babies. She avoided her own nephew until he could crawl.

"Relax honey, don't look so uncomfortable." Doniya advises. The little baby girl- Leila, whimpers around her tiny fist.

"But I am uncomfortable." Niall mutters. Zayn snorts.

"She can sense your energy, if you're uncomfortable around babies babies are going to be uncomfortable around you." Doniya tells her, supporting the babies neck with her own hands while it lays on Niall's lap.

She! While _she_  lays on Niall's lap.

Niall is so fucked. She's barely a parent and she's already a shit one.

"Okay Zayn's turn." Niall decides, surrendering her hands in the air for Doniya to _please_  take that baby away.

"You're the one who's going to be with the baby all day!" Zayn gives Niall a crazy look. She can tell if his sister wasn't here he'd probably yell at her.

"You're not going to help me?" Niall asks, worried.

Doniya takes Leila and sits on Zayn's sofa, leaving them alone on the love seat.

"Where the hell did you get that idea from?" He shakes his head and rubs her thigh, squeezing it a little. "Of course I will."

Niall gives Zayn a disbelieving look before Doniya cuts in.

"Are you sure you guys want to do this?" She asks, mostly looking at her brother.

What the fuck is she on about?

"It's not too late to... change your minds."

Zayn hums, not his usual hum but kind of a low growl. "Doniya. Niall is my fiance,"

Again, no she is not.

"And we're having a baby because we love each other."

Niall coos despite the glare she receives from the other woman and kisses Zayn's cheek.

"Mom will be so pleased at your choices." The eye roll is audible in her voice.

"Dad was." Zayn lies, kind of.

Dinner with Zayn's dad was nothing like Niall expected. Yaser is _Not_  Rambo, _Harry_ but some big time lawyer. All of his... colleagues? partners? attended dinner with them. Yaser said no more than ten words to her or Zayn the entire time. Apparently that's approval in the Malik family?

Supposedly his mom was really quite model though, so Harry wasn't all wrong.

***

Apparently her brother Greg went to visit their Mam, so earlier Sunday morning Niall was surprised with a Face Time call from the family that left her emotional the rest of the day. That, and her boobs really hurt.

Niall whimpers, hiding her face in Zayn's shoulder for the millionth time. They've been cuddling on the couch watching television since they got out of bed.

Zayn sighs. He's gotta be pretty fed up with her crying by now. She's being crying on and off all day about being homesick and her achy breasts.

"It hurts." Niall complains.

She doesn't know exactly how do describe it, everything is just painful. Her breast, her back, her fucking vagina. They haven't had real sex in like a week because Niall feels too much pressure down there to relax enough for it to feel good.

But no man will ever complain about blow jobs so Zayn remains unaffected.

"Do you wanna try another bath?" He suggests.

Last nigh her tits were sore, not as sore as the are now but enough to cause discomfort so they tried being sexy by having Zayn suck the milk out. Let's just leave it at: no, it was not sexy.

"I need you to massage them, nicely though. Don't man handle me." Without another word Niall lays down with her thighs across Zayn's lap and pulls her shirt up to her neck. Her belly is grossly big now, and even though she practically bathes in cocoa butter there's still a few stretch marks.

"Niall..." he complains, like massaging tits is a chore, honestly.

"Please? They hurt, just like rub them a little or something." Her nipples are purple.. ish. It's the least he could do.

"I'm gunna get hard," Zayn's hand hesitantly rests on her belly.

Niall whimpers and groans in discomfort. It's not just her breasts but her entire abdomen just feels so stretched and heavy. Zayn's fingers cautiously massage the bottom of one of Niall's swollen breasts, causing her to hiss and squirm away.

"Maybe use the lotion? Your hands feel too dry," Zayn actually has baby soft hands, that's just how tender she is. She needs lubrication.

He grabs the cocoa butter Niall carries everywhere off the table, squirting a generous amount in his palm. It's still cold when he rubs both hands over her nipples, and it feels oddly good. It's not necessarily relief she feels, but a strange surge if arousal as his fingers kneed the fatty tissue around her areolas. Niall moans softly as Zayn's finger circles her nipple with a generous amount of cocoa butter.

This is what sucks. Because she wants to fuck but she knows it's going to hurt when he gets in her.

"It's good yeah?" Zayn asks, all happy with a hint of smug.

Niall sighs and nods. "Kiss me,"

He wipes one hand off on her tummy, leaving the other on her breast as he leans between her bent knees and kisses her. He gives her teasing pecks at first but Niall's not having it. She holds the back of his neck so he can't pull away and licks her tongue into his mouth. He sighs at the same time she moans.

Hormones are really something.

Zayn must be thinking along the lines of what Niall's thinking because he allines their crotches and grinds hard against hers. Poor boy hasn't gotten actually pussy in such a long time, Niall feels his pain. And then some.

"Keep rubbing," Niall tries to buck her hips, feel his hardness against her through his sweats but it's a little harder and more awkward now that she's fat.

Zayn circles his hips, more so squeezing her tit than actually massaging it but it's still something. He sucks her bottom, nipping it lightly and letting it go with an audible plop before sponging kisses down her jaw to her neck. Zayn's soft lips paired with the scratchy stubble in somewhat intoxicating.

Liam never used to like keeping his beard but there was that one time he grew it out a little all those months ago when he let Niall ride his face. That was when Niall had a new found appreciation for beards.

The memory sends sparks straight to her cunt, she's so worked up but if she wants to come she'll have to settle for dry humping. Zayn doesn't give head and she can't handle cock.

"Take them off," Niall tugs at the string of his pants. "Don't put it in though,"

Zayn groans but nods, kissing her open mouthed and letting his tongue slip in her mouth as he gives her another hard grind. Her toes curl against his butt, which she would like to touch with her hands but settles for toes.

When he looks down to kick off his joggers avoid kneeing her in the belly his soft hair tickles her nose. And she sneezes.

And she pees.

"Get up, get up get up get up!" Niall chants, pushing his shoulders. This fucking baby ruins everything, she was so close and Zayn probably was too and if Zayn isn't mad about piss on the couch he's going to add that to the things he teases her for and ugh. Fuck!

"What's wrong baby?" Zayn's hand is still holding his pants up so he brushes his knuckles against her crotch. "Oh my god!"

He flinches away from her, scrambling to get to the other cushion. As if she wasn't embarrassed enough.

"Did you piss on me?" He screeches.

Niall sighs as he runs to probably the bedroom. That was such a Liam move.

Niall finishes herself off in the bathtub, Zayn can fend for himself since he's rude.

***

"Uh, so... how have you guys been?" Niall asks Harry awkwardly. They're on a double (?) date with Harry and Louis and... Eleanor.

Zayn watches in total fascination as Louis sucks Eleanor's face. They're in public, for fucks sake. Can they even breathe?

"Really good!" Harry chirps. "We got a cat! He's kind of like our baby since you left."

"Do you want a real baby? I have one I could donate." Niall offers, patting her belly. She's finally got huge boobs but they're no fun when she can't show them off in a bikini because she looks like a beached whale.

Zayn elbows her but doesn't look away from the lesbian action.

"I'm just kidding chill." She elbows him back. It takes three or four assaults for him to finally give her a dirty look, but at least he's not oogling her friend anymore. Zayn looks like he was three seconds away from coming in his pants.

"We could totally babysit!" Eleanor pulls away to tell them. She's the girl version of Harry. Of course Louis would turn lesbian or, well. Bisexual? For Eleanor.

Louis stares at Eleanor like she's a delicious cake, never mind the fact that she hasn't seen Niall in weeks.

"That won't be necessary." Zayn shakes his head, Harry and Eleanor both pout and Niall raises her eyebrows when Louis whimpers at her... spouses.

"He probably won't even let me be alone with it either, he's been a caveman ever since it's been confirmed we're definitely having a boy."

Finally, Louis looks at her. Like she's fucking crazy, but at least she's looking at her.

"It's a boy? My mum's been knitting pink shit for weeks you twat!"

Aww! They live in Florida so knitted clothing isn't at all necessary but aww! It's the thought that counts. Niall has to take a deep breath, trying to fight back tears. That's so sweet if Jay, she's only met Niall twice and here she is knitting things for her baby! So sweet.

"Aw babe," Zayn pokes Niall's quivering lip, immediately she hides her face in his arm to cry.

Why couldn't the damn baby be a girl? Johannah wasted all that time!

"Louis!" Eleanor scolds her girlfriend, Harry gives an equally disappointed look behind her. "You made her sad! That was mean! And not nice!"

"She's alright, yesterday she cried because gummy worms are good." Zayn shrugs. Niall sobs at the memory, burying her face in his shoulder.

"I didn't mean to make her cry, but me mum's got heaps of pink and purple shit she's sending to the house," Louis explains to Eleanor. Not to Niall who's face is soaked with tears but to her ditsy girlfriend.

"Well. Maybe we can dress Larry in the baby stuff? I'm sure he won't mind." Eleanor nods to herself, obviously thinking hard about it.

Niall sniffles and peaks at the three idiots across from her. "Who named your cat?"

"I did!" Harry raises his hand, as if screaming it wasn't enough. Makes sense, he may be an idiot but he's smart.

Niall secretly wonders how Harry truly feels about Eleanor being in the mix now. He seems to be alright, his emotions usually show on his face like a mood chart anyway. As long as Louis is happy and treated vaguely like royalty Niall has nothing to worry about.

"Larry is a really ugly name." Niall says sadly, still crying a little. She feels Zayn shake from laughing.

"Shut up that's what we're naming our son." Louis informs her. What son? Who's pregnant?

"You're pregnant too?!"

Harry literally beams at Louis like he's an actual human ball of sunshine.

"What? No you are, idiot."

Eleanor pouts at the name calling, Niall feels that. Rude. "I'm not naming it after your cat."

"So I don't get a say at all in the naming of our first child? Who's gender you hid from me until I pried it out of you today?"

It's then that Niall knows she's on drugs. She has to be, because she's never like this. She's kind of... aggressive? The biggest sign is that she's wide awake and it's noon.

Maybe Eleanor got her on drugs. That would explain why Eleanor is so... Eleanor. Harry's been known to do coke here and there too so it wouldn't surprise her at all if Louis is in fact high.

"Your son? It's hardly even /my/ son. It's just renting my uterus until he can get his hands on it." Niall juts her thumb in Zayn's direction.

"Him." Zayn corrects. He corrects her every time but the damn thing is staying an it until she can make it a full day without peeing herself.

"Aww and his names Larry?" Eleanor asks, titling her head to the side like a confused puppy.

The waitress comes by and sees there's literally one piece missing from the pizza they ordered and all of their drinks are still full so she huffs and leaves. Niall's so happy Ben gave her her old job when he did otherwise she would have been stuck working at Olive Garden as a regular old waitress, cleaning messes and making shit tips during the day while she... slept probably, at night.

She definitely wouldn't have had so much time for Liam, and she never would have met Zayn. Thank god she ignored those voicemails after her second interview telling her she could come in asap.

"No babe, they're naming him Zarry." Harry pats the stupid ditz's leg and sends a wink in Zayn's direction.

Niall doesn't see why Zayn doesn't like her friends. They obviously like him?

"Aww Zarry is cute! It sounds like Harry."

Zayn snorts, looking Niall before he presses a wet kiss to her forehead, making Louis gag and Harry coo.

"She's very good at rhyming." Zayn tells Harry. Harry nods proudly. They are so cute.

"All the more reason to let us babysit." Louis points out.

Niall trusts Louis with her life but she gets a bad feeling in her gut at the thought of Louis alone with the baby. When she's sober... no problem. But the way she's sweating and bouncing her knee (except for when she's staring at Eleanor with huge heart eyes) she's kind of... scary. Is that how Niall acted on Adderall? Fuck that.

Well. When she's not pregnant she'll probably take it again but. Still.

"You almost ready to go babe?" Zayn ignores Louis' glares. "We got that thing later and you still have to get ready,"

He's lying. The "thing" is probably him making her mute the t.v. so he can make a million phone calls about shit she doesn't care to understand. But Louis' giving her a bad vibe and her back and crotch hurt way too much right now to even try to deal with her.

Louis already had ADHD, whatever she's on has turned all of that energy aggressive and edgy.

"What thing?" Harry asks, genuinely curious as Zayn digs out his wallet.

"It was really nice seeing you guys." Niall smiles at all of them as she tries to stand up without tipping the chair back. "We should do this again soon. I miss you."

She does miss Louis, is the thing. But it's really hard to get Louis alone... even in texts she only responds to group chats. Niall loves Zayn (???) but without Liam and especially Louis she feels so fucking alone out here. They were the people she was closest to and everything is just changing so fast.

Louis doesn't look at her during goodbyes, she just taps her foot and gets distracted by a piece of art conveniently across the restaurant. Nice.

***

"Fuck! Fuckfuckfuck!" Niall chants, holding her hand flat against the bed board as her back arches a little. Zayn's got two fingers in her, groaning and tugging himself at how tight she is.

It took a while to build up to her taking both fingers, one felt uncomfortable enough until he curled it and she just needed more. Two fingers is plenty though, they don't feel as good as cock but being filled with anything is better than nothing when she comes. It feels better if something is in for her to clench around when she comes, just clitoral stimulation always leaves her wanting more.

"I'm gunna come," Niall sobs, praying he won't stop... any of it. The curling of his fingers, the soft rubbing of his thumb on her clit. He doesn't use his pointer finger, he's using his middle and ring finger and fuck he's a genius because it just somehow feels better.

She could do without the subtle petting on her ass hole from is pinky but it's not bad actually.

When Liam used to finger her he always put his mouth on her too. Giving her head used to work him up so much. Sometimes while he was fucking her he would stop so he could eat her some more before her came in her.

"Ahhh!" Niall wails as she comes around Zayn's fingers, her back arching off the mattress pushing her pelvis closer to him.

Zayn groans, keeping his thumb still on her clit for pressure while he continues to move his fingers. Niall feels breathless and tired and she barely did anything.

One time with Liam, he made her come so hard she blacked out. They had vanilla sex for a while after that.

"Where do you wanna come?" Niall slurs, her hips twitching. If he keeps his fingers in there while she's got Liam on her mind she might get horny again, and nobody has time for all that.

"I don't care." Zayn's been leisurely stroking himself the entire time he fingered her. He deserves a blow job.

"On my face?" Niall suggests. Zayn just shrugs and scoots up to her face on his knees. Niall lays herself flat on the bed with just a pillow under her head.

"Fuck my face, 'm tired." She gestures for him to straddle her face.

"I'll probably come once you lick it," Zayn warns her.

She smiles, because that's cute. And she's tired so that means bed time is sooner.

"All over my face, right baby?" She sticks her tongue out, tracing the slit with it. Zayn sucks in a sharp breath.

"Fuck, just open your mouth, close your eyes."

When she does, she feels the first hot rope land half way on her cheek and half in her mouth. The second on her forehead, dripping down by her eye. He makes a mess of it, groaning and moaning her name and all sorts of swear words. Once he's finished he sits back to admire his work.

"Gimme kiss." Niall jokes, smacking her lips and rubbing them together to spread his come.

He gets off of her and for a second she thinks he's really going to do it. Of course he doesn't though, just lays next to her and scoops it all up with his fingers and feeds it to her. Yuck.

She moans around his fingers anyway, guys like that shit.

"You're so sexy." He says, all raspy and low. His sex voice.

Niall hums, a habit she's starting to pick up from him. "Remember that time you paid me for sex?"

Zayn pinches her cheek. "I didn't pay you for /sex/."  
He paid for her time, blah blah blah. He paid her for sex and that's that. It's a romantic love story, she doesn't understand why he doesn't see it that way.

"You gave me an STD test." She reminds him. It's still funny to her how... professional he is.

"We probably wouldn't be here if you gave me that dance I asked for."

Oh. Rude.

"Good thing huh? Otherwise your old ass would have never found true love." Yeah, Niall's got jokes too buddy.

"Have you seen my face?" Zayn scoffs. "Of course I would have."

He's ridiculous and conceited and not at all wrong. Niall's still a little confused why he chose her of all people. She has nothing to offer and she gets on his nerves a lot. She's pregnant and it might not even be his baby... what's he doing here?

"Why me? Why do you want to marry /me/?" It makes her sound insecure but she doesn't care. She needs to know.

She looks up at him, all shy and sleepy to see he's actually thinking about it. Even he doesn't know why he picked her.

"Well I want to marry you because I love you, and I think I'm worthy enough to give you the life you deserve. I wouldn't have brought it up so soon if you weren't having my son though." He says after a few seconds, palming her gigantic belly.

"But. What if it's not..." What if it's not his baby.

Zayn saves her from her embarrassing rambling. "There's a probability that he's mine, and that's enough for me. Genetics changes nothing."

Why does he want this baby so bad? Nothing makes sense to her.

"And your friends are not babysitting, ever."

Niall rolls her eyes. His friends aren't so great either. At least hers have good intentions.

"I'm going to take a bath. Don't join me unless you bring champagne chocolates and chilled fruit."

And she means it.

Ten minutes later Zayn comes in with a cold sandwich and a big cookie with a bite missing. Good enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as always if you're confused or don't understand just ask and I will tell you. :) xoxo


	10. Chapter 10

"Are you sure I don't look like a fat ass?" Niall asks for the five hundredth time. 

She's always been a little insecure about her body. For years people always told her she was too skinny, luckily her tits grew in and people stopped comparing her teenage boys.

At thirty two weeks she definitely isn't too skinny anymore. 

"You're pregnant." Zayn rolls his eyes. 

Of course he looks hot in his tank top and black pants but honestly who wears jeans to a beach? He claims he won't swim and Niall probably won't either but she's got her bikini on under her sun dress just in case. 

"So I do look fat then?" Niall stands in front of him with her hands on her hips. She knows the truth she just needs to hear it. 

Zayn's family is having a picnic and Niall's really nervous about it. She's met most of his family except his mom, but his sister's don't seem to fond of her, which makes her even more nervous about meeting his mom whenever that happens. At least his cousins are nice. 

"No. You look pregnant." He's ready to go and get this shit over with, Niall understands but doesn't sympathize because he doesn't understand what it feels like to feel ugly. 

He's perfect and stupid. 

"Ugh fuck it. Let's just go, I'm already sweating." 

Zayn's ridiculously huge jeep is already running in the round driveway, it better have the air on. 

They stop at a grocery store so Niall can buy a cake since whoever invited them asked her to make one. Her and Zayn have a stare down in line about the bag of gummy worms in the basket. Of course Niall wins. 

They get to the beach after a milkshake stop that took minimal bribing on Niall's part. Niall walks as close as she can to Zayn as they start to approach the crowd. They can't hear anybody talking yet but it's so obvious they are by the way they stare and giggle at Niall. She wishes Louis were here. Louis would glare and say something funny that would make them shut up.

Niall misses Louis so much. 

"Hiiii darling!" Zayn's sister (Waliyha, Niall thinks) greets Zayn with a kiss to his cheek, squeezing herself in between Niall and Zayn. "What is this? You didn't have your little girlfriend bake the cake?" The girl pouts. 

The nit picking wasn't so bad when they were at Zayn's house, but now that she's acting like Niall isn't even here. Well. Niall can't wait to be apart of this family...cue eye roll. 

"She's pregnant." Zayn makes it sound that makes her handicapped but Niall appreciates the gesture. 

"Akhi must I remind you Mama cooked for a family of twelve everyday she was pregnant with you? You were a fat baby." 

The baby Niall is carrying is a fat baby too. She doesn't remember what the doctor said it weighed but it was more than its supposed to at this stage. 

"Well we bought a cake." Zayn puts an end to that. "Come on Niall, you shouldn't be on your feet." 

It takes every ounce of self control Niall has not to stick her tongue out at his rude sister as Zayn offers his arm to Niall and leads her towards somebody's chair. 

"Hungry?" He asks, kneeling in front of her. He's so sweet and she really enjoys the dirty looks she receives because of it. 

"Not for food." Niall mumbles loud enough for just him to hear before she leans forward to peck his lips. Zayn grins at her. 

"Zayn my love come say hello to your family, you see your girlfriend everyday an hour or so apart won't kill you." Another woman with dark purple lipstick says. Niall's met all of his sisters so this must be a cousin? 

"But what if it does and I don't even get my kiss goodbye?" Zayn jokes, already walking away from Niall to hug the rest of them. 

"You're getting fat, what is she feeding you?" Waliyha asks with another pout. 

All of the women are by the picnic tables, the men and children off by the barbecue and down by the water. Niall scrolls through her phone, sipping her milkshake while she pretends not to hear them since they're already pretending she isn't there. 

She especially doesn't look when she hears a couple of them whispering about white women. 

It goes on like that for about an hour until the men and wet children join them to eat. Zayn brings her a plate of chicken salad and sits on the ground next to her. She absent mindedly scratches his head while she eats, the way she does when they're at home. 

"Did you still wanna do a little shopping before we go home?" Zayn asks, laying his head on her thigh. They went to bed late last night and he had to get up super early. Niall's still not sure what his job is. All she knows is that he wears a suit everyday and fuck does he wear it well. 

"Yeah I guess." She grumbles. 

"Yeah I guess." She hears one of the women mock her. Widad, she believes. "I wish my husband would take me shopping, wallah so ungrateful." She shakes her head. 

Niall looks at Zayn with her tongue in her cheek. She's about reached her limit with what she can take from these people. 

Zayn's got her back though. "You're just bitter Hadi is fucking around on you with a man."

Everyone goes silent except for the children. Niall sucks her lips into her mouth the avoid laughing out loud. 

"And you're going to throw that in my face in front of everybody? At least I still treat him with the respect a man deserves, unlike your-" 

"Having a dick doesn't mean he deserves respect Wee, come off it." Zayn calls her out again. 

Niall clenches everything to avoid pissing herself. 

"Perhaps we should keep our marriages our own business." Doniya suggests. Her husband (?) sits next to her feeding their daughter Leila. 

"Nah we're out of here." Zayn pushes himself to his feet and dusts his pants off. 

"Zayn please stay, you don't have to go." Doniya begs. 

Zayn takes Niall's plate and sets it on the table before he grabs her purse from beside her chair. 

"She can go." Widad points her fork at Niall. Everybody stares at her. 

Zayn gestures to the woman, giving his sister an annoyed look. 

"Don't put the blame on her! Your friend didn't even greet us hello, she hasn't spoken one word to anybody but you since she's gotten here." Aaliyah, another of Zayn's cousins cuts in. 

Niall furrows her brow at them, sliding her sunglasses down her nose so she can get a better look at them because they cannot be serious. 

Zayn laughs. "You didn't think to maybe say hello first?" 

She starts to say something but Zayn cuts her off. 

"I love this women, and she is having my child so she's going to be around whether you like it or not. When you see me, expect to see her too and if that bothers you then I don't need you in my life." 

With that being said, he extends a hand to Niall to help her up. He's trying to make a dramatic exit, being a best friend to Louis she totally understands that but it loses some effect when she ends up needing two hands to pull her up. There's an over weight baby inside of her, it's not her fault. 

Nobody says anything when they walk away, and Niall doesn't look back to see if they're staring or not. They probably are though. 

"The baby store? Or you want something else to eat?" Zayn asks after he opens the car door for her.  
She gets in and instead of putting on her seatbelt she grabs his face and both hands and kisses him. What she's done to deserve someone as lovely as him she'll never know. He stuck up for her to his own family, Liam didn't even stick up for her to the strangers that hit on her in front of him. 

"I love you." He says, lips still pressed to hers. 

Hearing that makes her heart race. 

"I love you too." 

They end up doing to Babies R Us and getting a ton of crap for the baby. Most of it has to be delivered, like the crib, play pin, stroller and car seat but the clothes, blankets, diapers, bottles, and pacifiers cat fit in the backseat. Looking at the stuff actually makes Niall kind of excited about having the baby. 

***

"What do you think about the baby taking my last name?" Niall asks. 

She's been thinking a lot about it and if the baby is Zayn's it doesn't matter so much about the last name but what if it turns out to be Liam's? It doesn't feel right naming Liam's baby Malik. Horan is neutral. 

"Like, with a hyphen?" Zayn scrunches his eyebrows. He's currently putting together a changing table while Niall folds clothes and puts diapers away. 

"What? Zayn my last name is Horan." What the hell is he talking about.

Zayn snorts. "No I know, a hyphen is-" he shakes his head. "Never mind. You want to give him both last names? Mine and yours?"

Not exactly...

"Well. No,"

Zayn sighs and sets down whatever tool he's using... a wrench maybe? Niall has no idea. 

"Just your last name?" 

Niall swallows, purposely not looking at him as she folds yet another light green onesie. "Yeah."

"Okay. Why?" 

Ugh, she was expecting a simple yes or no. At least he doesn't seem annoyed yet. 

"Just... in case? I guess. I don't really know, it just. Feels... safer, that way." 

Not only because of the whole Liam situation but what if her and Zayn break up? She doesn't have a single clue how custody battles work but she has a gut feeling they'd give Zayn her baby because she has no idea how to be a mom. The whole thing stresses her out. 

"Is this because of Liam?" Zayn asks, softly. Whenever he asks about Liam he always sounds so sad, Niall can relate. 

"No." She lies. "It's just like, what if we don't stay together and you decide you don't want to be around it anymore and it's stuck with your last name?" 

That's another fear she has. But if it ever comes down to her being a single parent her Mam's made it crystal clear she is to come back to Mullingar, no if's and's or but's. 

"That's not going to happen." He tells her immediately. "I would not have moved you in here if I wasn't one hundred and fifty percent sure I wanted you and this baby." 

None of it makes sense though! Why! Why does he want her and a baby that's probably not even his? Most men run from a pregnant woman, deny its theirs even when it is, and here Zayn is. Fiercely claiming her baby, Liam's baby. Maybe baby. 

Zayn sighs again. "I told you, I want this baby, our son. I'm ready to be a dad. But if you're planning on getting Liam involved if the kid turns out to be his I need to know."

Niall's mood instantly turns sour. Zayn doesn't /need/ to know anything about Liam!

"Why do you /need/ to know?"

"I need to know if I'm dad or step dad, I can't do this if I'm step dad." Zayn bites back. "If I'm step dad you and the kid can just leave me, so forgive me but I don't want to put my whole heart into something that's just going to break it."

Fuck. Niall's so fucked. She shouldn't have ever told anyone she's pregnant. She should have just gotten a different job and started a new life as a recluse. 

Or aborted it, though that thought leaves a huge dry lump her throat ever since she seen those 3D ultrasound pictures. 

"Liam can't be a dad anyway." Niall says quietly. She refuses to let Liam and his stupid wife play house with her child. 

"So you'll settle for me?" Zayn tosses the heavy tool on the ground, it echoes. 

Fuck. 

"No I'm just saying your fear is impossible, mine isn't." 

In a perfect world, Sophia wouldn't exist and Liam would be groveling at Niall's feet, begging her to marry him and move in with him and let him cook for her every single day. 

"I'm fighting for you and my son, I think that should be enough proof that yours too is irrational." 

Maybe it's that she doesn't reciprocate the feelings he claims to have for her and that's why she can't understand how he could feel them for her. She loves Zayn, but it's hard to fall in love when you're already in love with someone else. 

"You're right, I'm sorry. I'm just nervous, and really scared." Niall confesses. 

There's a brand new life growing inside of her and it's her job not to fuck it up. It's a big deal being responsible for someone else's life. His first word and memory and all that good shit, it's up to Niall to make it all good. It's nerve wracking. 

Zayn sighs and shuffles towards her, wrapping his arms around her so her belly is pressed against his. Immediately she hides her face in his neck. 

"It's okay to be scared. I'm kinda scared too. But don't be scared of me not being there. I will always fight for you." Zayn promises, kissing the top of her head. 

That's as comforting as it is scary. 

***

"He is so fine." Mani shakes her head again from where her and Niall are laying in the backyard on lawn chairs in their bikinis. 

"Does he have any brothers? He is so fine." 

They're currently waiting for Zayn to finish doing whatever he has to do to the hot tub. Niall can't go in it but Normani and Zayn's friend can. Speaking of Zayn's friend. Shahid, who's sweating through a long sleeved shirt not three feet away from Zayn is openly staring at Mani while she stares at Zayn through her sunglasses. 

"Nah. Heaps of sisters, but they're all cunts." Niall keeps a fluffy towel over her belly so the baby doesn't get too much sun. It makes sense to her since the doctor said she can't have any hot baths or showers (warm is okay) and no hot drinks, Mani thinks she's being dramatic though. 

Then again, this is the same women who mixed Niall's drinks all those months ago. 

Mani blows out a long puff of air. "It just don't make no sense for him to be that got damn fine." 

Niall laughs. "Enough! That's me boyfriend you're fantasizing about there."

"Our boyfriend." Mani says, dead serious. 

Um. 

"Babe!" Zayn yells for Niall. 

Out of the corner of her eye she sees Normani sit up. 

"Yeah?" Both girls yell at the same time. Niall gives Mani a look, so does Zayn. 

"This is ready, I got it on warm so you can sit in it too." 

Aww. Niall coos, Mani makes a jealous sound beside her. The blonde gets a feeling she's not joking anymore, and that does something to Niall. First Louis with the... weird relationship and drugs, now Normani flirting with Zayn. Why is everyone in Niall's life so shitty.

Niall puts her robe on for the walk over to the hot tub while Normani displays her perfect body. Bitch.  
Shahid smiles what's probably supposed to be a flirtatious smile at Normani. She promptly ignores his existence as she makes a show out of getting in the Jacuzzi. 

Not because she's jealous but because she can, Niall pulls Zayn down by the back of his neck and shoves her tongue in his mouth. 

Niall loves Normani dearly but the only reason she was invited today was because Shahid asked if Niall had any hot friends that were single. She now realizes she probably should have called Nick and dealt with the consequences later. 

Again, because she can, Niall pinches Zayn's cute little butt, earning a swat to the arm. Zayn doesn't mind when Niall worships his butt when they're alone but he gets embarrassed in front of people, something about it being gay or some shit. 

"Are you getting in too? I wanna sit with you." Niall asks, tracing her tongue over his bottom lip. Zayn let's out a little moan, by which according to Niall's calculations he should be half hard by now. 

"Can somebody get in I'm getting lonely in here." Normani deadpans. 

Shahid snatches his shirt over his head and quickly unbuttons his jeans. Again, nobody pays attention to him. 

"In a sec, I'm gonna go get us some more drinks." He kisses her again, his tongue licking hers once more before he smacks her ass and jogs towards the house. 

/Enjoy the show, Mani?/ her subconscious laughs. 

That's her man. 

Like instant karma, nobody helps Niall when she almost slips climbing up. But Shahid does snort. 

"What was that?" Normani asks unimpressed when Niall's safely seated, no thanks to anyone but herself. 

"I slipped?" 

"Not what I meant." If Niall's not mistaken, this girl is actually mad. Huh. 

"What? Me kissing my fiance?" They aren't engaged but still. There's a diamond ring on her finger from Zayn regardless of the meaning. 

"Wait what?" Shahid asks, adding an awkward laugh. 

"Mani have you met Zayn's pal Shahid? He's a producer who's single and ready to mingle with no baby mama's." Niall knows for a fact Normani will catch that shade at the end, she's not stupid. 

"Oh really?" Mani smiles, bright and beautiful and Niall's known her long enough to know she's being fake. "Well, baby mama's ain't nothing to worry about but how are you Shawn?" 

Seriously. Why are Niall's friends like this? 

"It's Shahid." Niall corrects. 

Shahid seems unaffected by it, still smiling that ugly smile. 

"You can call me Naughty Boy." His face does something that was probably meant to be a wink. 

"Mmm, I'll keep that in mind." Mani nods politely. 

This man, as pathetic and sad as he is is the whole reason Niall's even here. Had he not so bravely hit on her despite his offensive plastic g shock that he's conveniently wearing again today Niall wouldn't have met Zayn. 

Funny how life works. 

Zayn comes back with two beers, a wine cooler, and a Gatorade obviously for Niall. Naturally the wine cooler goes to Mani and if Zayn wasn't so attractive she'd have told him off for bringing her something so light. She's a bartender for fucks sake, she can drink moonshine with a straight face and yes that theory has been tested. 

Even Niall gagged a little, so that's saying something. 

"Thank you baby." Niall flutters her lashes when Zayn hands her the drink. Once he's seated she scoots closer so she sit on his lap, he makes a surprised sound but doesn't object. 

"Have you introduced them yet babe?" Zayn asks all of them even though he's addressing Niall. 

"Yes, naughty boy and myself were just getting acquainted." Mani lies. Shahid is too mesmerized by female attention, and the fact that she referred to him by his self given nick name. He probably came in his shorts. 

"So does he have a chance of getting the number..." Zayn jokes. 

Mani's heart eyes start to show so Niall leans back and puts her arm around Zayn, tonguing his ear. She can feel his cock under her thigh and if he knows what's good for him it'll get hard so she can blow him and make Normani watch as Zayn comes on Niall's face, crying /Niall's/ name. 

"I think the real question is do /I/ have a chance at getting the number." Normani winks.

Only Niall picks up on the fact that she's either joking or talking about Zayn's number, considering both men hum all satisfied and what not. 

"You could get any number you want." Shahid raises one eyebrow at her, giving her a little smirk. 

It's so sad to watch him flirt, it really is. 

"I'll keep that in mind." Mani smirks, sipping her wine cooler. Oh god. 

Luckily, Zayn either dodges or ignores Normani's flirting much to Niall's relief and pure satisfaction. It's only around eight but Niall's friend has work tonight at ten so the blonde walks her out, ignoring Shahid's insisting that he should do it. Honestly. 

"So what the fuck was that?" Niall asks casually, hand on her belly as they walk the long driveway. 

This little shits been break dancing in there, she'd be lying if she said she didn't kind of enjoy how much it moves when she talks. Sometimes she feels bad, like she woke it up or something. 

"Babe, do you truthfully believe I'd take your boyfriend even if I really wanted him?" She gives Niall a look, like Niall's the crazy one here. 

"Um,"

"Hell no! I did that for you, girl he didn't even bat a lash through all of my go to moves. I'm actually a little wounded..."

Wait what? 

"You did that on purpose... for what reason exactly?" 

Mani huffs and shakes her head, impatient with Niall, clearly. "I'm hot, no?"

Niall's starting to get really annoyed now. "So that means you should have Zayn?"

"No dummy. It means he's faithful. I was giving it to him left and right and he did not want anything to do with it. That's the test I give all of my friends boyfriend's, or in Louis' case girlfriends."

Niall is blessed with some truly fucked up friends. 

"Oh? Thanks I guess." 

When they finally get to her car after the world's longest walk Niall actually debates asking for a ride back up the driveway. She doesn't though, she has cankles and could use the exercise. 

"Hey? You know I'd never actually like, fuck your boyfriend or anything right? You're like one of my best friends." 

Niall just doesn't get it, but at the same time she does? It's a really weird thing to do but it's the thought or whatever that counts. 

"You're my best friend too, my feelings were sort of hurt." Niall confesses. 

Mani juts her bottom lip out, mockingly. "I'm sorry preggo, you know I love you bunches."

"Yeah yeah I love you too. But um, do you know what's going on with Lou? Like, she's been to work yeah?" Niall has to ask. Mani is the only one who would give her an honest unbiased answer. 

Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately Mani gives her a confused look. 

"Yeah, all the days she's scheduled with me she's there. Why?"

It's really not Niall's business to spread around, even if her and Louis are friends. Niall's not one to gossip. 

"Just checking, I miss her. Eleanor's doing my job good too?" 

Niall misses working so much, and what sucks is even after she has the baby she still can't go back to work there. It's too far for starters and Zayn already told her absolutely not, about working and especially working there. So there's that. 

"Nobody will ever be as good as you," she indulges in Niall. "But she's dumb and cute so she's doing pretty good." 

Figures. Hot and dumb equals more tips, more tips equals a happy Ben. Nobody actually cares about his happiness but, he's the boss. 

"Go get back to your man, they've been watching on the porch. Love you!" 

When she turns around she sees Zayn looking at her with his hands in his pocket in front of his beautiful house and maybe it's just a coincidence the baby gives her what she chooses to believe is a love kick (to her ribs) but it all feels so right. Maybe this life will be okay, maybe Niall's not as fucked as she thinks.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pay attention to Zayn's character, not just here but in every chapter. wink wink.

"I can feel his head right between my legs." Niall complains, squatting a little to try to relieve the pressure, or some of it at least.

Zayn makes a face, as does Harry. Except Harry's is fond, like Niall just said something magical, Zayn's is all grossed out.

"Is it coming out?!" Eleanor shrieks.

Niall doesn't so much mind Harry, but it really sucks having to see two extra people every time she wants to see Louis. Don't get her wrong, Eleanor is lovely, but fuck is she stupid.

"Does he feel it when you guys have sex?" Louis asks, ignoring Eleanor.

They're all at Zayn's house waiting on Niall to finish getting ready so they can meet up with Zayn's friends and go out. Zayn was completely against the idea of her friends meeting them here but. They were already on their way and Niall wanted to see them. He'll get over it.

"Zayn or the baby?" Niall looks at Zayn, questioning. He scrunches his nose and shakes his head.

Liam probably would, that's pretty scary.

"Ew you guys still have sex?" Louis says childishly.

Out of the corner of her eye Niall sees Zayn taking one of his collectors motorcycle model thingys away from Harry. The house isn't even Harry proofed what the fuck are they going to do about the baby?

"Of course we still have sex."

She may be thirty seven weeks pregnant but they're still kind of getting to know each other, her and Zayn. They fight and stuff sometimes because Zayn's a little uptight but they're still in the honeymoon stage or whatever, new relationships are always like that. Plus with Niall's hormones she's either hungry or horny. Yesterday they fucked with Niall bent over the kitchen counter while she ate a sandwich. It was beautiful.

"Are you ready yet babe?" Zayn huffs.

He's not used to people in his house, touching his things. And the fact that Harry and Louis haven't taken off their shoes (Eleanor wasn't even wearing any...) is probably stressing him out.

"Yeah, let's go." Niall grabs the clutch purse Zayn surprised her with a few days ago. He's been bringing her gifts ever since the day they went to the beach and his family gave her the cold shoulder. It's really sweet of him.

"Wait, smoke a bowl before we go?" Louis asks Zayn, Eleanor is perched on her lap playing with Louis' hair.

Zayn looks at Niall, asking a silent question: _is it okay?_ Louis looks sober, at least of any hard drugs so maybe last time was just a one time thing? Niall hopes. She nods her head and Zayn gestures for Louis to follow him to the basement, Eleanor goes with them and Harry stays to keep Niall company.

"So how do you think I'd look if my belly were like yours?" The curly haired grown man lifts his top and tries to bloat his little tummy out. Oh god.

***

The five of them met up with a few other Zayn's weird friends who's names Niall did not care to know at a casino sort of thing. They ate and had drinks (Niall sniffed Zayn's and Louis' longingly) before they split up to gamble. Zayn gave her a thousand dollars to spend but she's content at the penny slots. The chairs are comfortable.

And it's the first time she's had Louis somewhat alone in forever.

"I really miss shit head." Niall throws a couple coins at Louis to get her point across.

"Yeah well you know who's been missing you?" It feels like the brunette is taunting Niall with her beer every time she takes a sip.

She's expecting Louis to say herself obviously, so naturally she's a little off put with Louis chirps out "Liam!"

"Shut up Louis." Dick head. Maybe she should go find Zayn instead, since Louis is just going to be mean to her apparently.

"I'm serious! He comes to the club and just sits at the bar, doesn't talk to nobody or nothing. And a couple weeks ago he was at the apartment, I was like dude you can crash on the couch but I don't have anywhere for you to sleep mate."

What the fuck. _Weeks_ ago? And Louis decides to tell her _now_???

"He's married." Niall reminds herself more than Louis. "And I'm with Zayn."

Things have been so good with Zayn, he's perfect save for his little attitudes here and there. Niall's barely even thought about Liam lately.

Okay, maybe once or twice when her and Zayn are having sex but that's not a big deal.

"Yeh I like Zayn. He's better for you but how's he gonna feel when the kid looks like Liam?"

Niall forcefully shoves too many pennies in her machine and pulls the crank. "Die." She mutters.

"I mean like. Is he gonna stay or what? Cause Eleanor mostly sleeps with me and Harry so you can totally have your room back."

Niall never told Louis all the kind things Zayn's said about the baby being his regardless of DNA, because it's not really Louis' business what goes on in Niall's relationship. Niall doesn't go asking questions about her love triangle, and believe me Niall has a ton.

"He didn't give me a promise ring for nothing." Is the only answer Niall's going to give.

"You better not be hanging out with Liam either." She adds, because who knows what goes on with Louis anymore.

"I don't think he's married anymore, by the way."

With that being said Niall hands Louis he plastic cup of change and scoots herself out of the chair before stalking off. Liam being single is the last thing she needs to think about right now. Her life is perfect for fucks sake. She's all set after she marries Zayn and she'll be damned if she lets that pathetic excuse of a man ruin that.

Louis and her spouses are meant to stay the night at Zayn's (a minor detail she has yet to tell Zayn) so it's not like this is the last time she'll see her or anything. Plus, Louis probably appreciates the drama.

After a few minutes of searching (and stealing a chocolate covered strawberry or three) Niall finally finds Zayn playing blackjack? Or maybe some other card game, she's not much of a gambler, hence the penny slots.

She wraps her arms around his shoulders from the back and purrs in his ear. "Hey handsome."

Zayn looks like a proper man right now, gambling with a cigar in the corner of his mouth and a whiskey next to his chips. It's kind of hot.

He hums, throwing a card into the center of the table. "I'm married."

Fuck it. They're not, absolutely _not_  married yet but they might as well be. He's handsome and her ring is beautiful... plus people stare at them all dopey eyed because they seem like they're married and she's hella pregnant. Whatever, they can be married. There are worse things in life than being married to Zayn Malik.

"Are you saying you don't want to get out of here so I can sit on your cock?" The tip of her tongue licks around his ear. She hears the guy sitting next to Zayn whistle.

Zayn bends his head to bite her arm after putting the cigar in the ashtray.

"Are you winning?" She wants to go.

There's a dull throbbing on her clit and she wasn't kidding about sitting on his cock. She could wait but she wants to get sex out of the way so she can hang out with her friends for the rest of the night.

"Nah, I fold." Zayn announces, tossing all his cards down.

"Come on Malik!" His usually less annoying friend Danny groans.

Danny doesn't treat Niall like she's invisible or a servant. Niall likes Danny.

"The missus is ready to turn in." He shrugs apologetically.

"Go fuck her in the car and get your ass back here. It's boys night." Rocky grumbles around his own cigar.

Why Zayn is still friends with that fucker Niall doesn't understand. He's the creep who locked himself in the bathroom with her, when confronted he told Zayn it was a misunderstanding and that he didn't see Niall in there. She probably set a world record for longest eye roll in the history of eye rolling when Zayn tried to explain that to her.

Zayn hums a little laugh, patting Niall's arm around his neck. "Unlike the women you pursue, Niall is a lady. You don't fuck ladies in cars like common whores."

Niall buries her face in Zayn's hair to hide her smile. She's never had a boyfriend who stuck up for her before and Zayn does a lot. She thinks she's starting to fall in love.

Well. Been starting... maybe? It's getting there. She's very smitten though, that's for sure.

"Sounds like too much work." Shahid comments, as expected everyone laughs.

"Goodnight gentlemen." Zayn shakes his head.

Niall doesn't go find her friends but she does send Louis a text letting her know they're leaving and to call when they're on their way so Niall can unlock the door.

***

Zayn crawls between her already spread legs with his bottom lip between his teeth. He wraps his arms around each of her legs from her knees and slides her to the edge of the bed. She squeaks in surprise.

Sex with Zayn is great, amazing even but her favoritefavoritefavorite part is that he likes to leave the lights on. Not a lot of people do that, but he likes to see everything. It's nice. The only time they fuck in the dark is when Niall wakes him up in the middle of the night. Then they're usually still under the covers and it's slow with lots of kissing, her favorite.

Zayn hovers over her once he's standing between her legs for a quick kiss, knowing how important kisses are to Niall. She reminds him with a groan and a pout when he pulls away after just one. In the position he's going for tonight they aren't going to be able to kiss unless he stops so they have to do it now.

He stands up straight and holds her legs up with his wrists under his knees, entering her completely in just one thrust. It's good, it's always good but there's a sort of pressure from the baby being so low that makes it uncomfortable so she won't come from this. That's fine though, she doesn't always feel like she needs to come during sex.

"Good baby?" Zayn asks between thrusts.

He's being gentle, Niall is so ready to pop this sucker out so she can get fucked for real. Long and hard, ass smacking and hair pulling. Gentle is okay for now though.

"Your back okay?"

Niall nods. Her back is actually a little sore but it's nothing she can't handle.

He groans, his thrusts deep and slow. She clenches around him, smiling to herself when his breath hitches. His eyes flutter open and focus on Niall's tits, bouncing as she massages her leaky nipples.

The doctors said this is a good way to induce labor. Maura is flying in in two weeks and even though she really wants her Mam there during the birth she needs her more when the baby is actually here. Niall has no idea what she's doing, she needs her Mammy. So they're on a time schedule, they have about twelve days to have a baby that isn't due for about twenty or more days.

But she's asked a million times and anytime after thirty seven weeks is safe to give birth. She's ready.

"Where do you want it?" He always asks that, like she really cares.

"In me Daddy." Niall moans. She's learned that's his favorite place to come other than her face, he likes to watch it leak out.

The daddy thing sort of slipped, but either way it has Zayn moaning and shaking through his orgasm. He's so hot... it still doesn't make sense to her that he's so easy to please sexually. Aren't hot people supposed to be complicated?

He's still panting when he collapses on her, drooling wet kisses to the tops of her breasts. He's supporting himself on his arms to he's not completely crushing her belly.

"I love you." She tells him, scratching her nails in patterns along his scalp.

She can feel his smile on her skin and it's so fucking lovely that just a few simple words caused it.

"I love you too babe."

They lay like that for a while until Zayn leaves her with a kiss to go shower. That's when Niall scrambles to find her phone so she can call Louis before he gets out.

"Yooooooo! Ni _yulllll_!" Louis cheers. Somebody's drunk.

"Listen." Niall whispers. There's no time for chit chat. "Stop at Taco Bell before you come here, I'm gonna text you my order and make sure you hide it in Eleanor's purse."

"What are you on about?" Lou laughs loudly at the same time Niall hears the water shut off.

"Fuck, I'll text you!" Niall hangs up and sends her order, reminding her to hide it in Eleanor's purse.

It's not that Zayn won't let her eat it or anything, but he complains about how gassy it makes her which, psht, she's always gassy anyway.

"Were you on the phone?" Zayn asks, towel around his waist as he dries his hair with a smaller one. He's all wet and sexy and so so very lovely.

"Yeah, Louis' coming back." Niall purposely doesn't look at him, eyes focused on her phone. Louis is taking forever to type back, drunk bitch.

"Bit late, yeah?" It's only eleven, granted it's Tuesday but Zayn already told her he wasn't going into work tomorrow anyway.

"They're staying the night." Niall hopes she still looks as soft and cute as she usually does before bed so he won't give her too much shit about this.

Zayn huffs, tossing the towels on the floor as he opens his drawers for a pair of boxers. He has a cute butt.

"You have a cute butt."

"Babe," Zayn shakes his head. He looks all sleepy and annoyed. "This is your house too but run shit like that by me yeah?"

She tosses her phone to the other side of the bed, it'll probably get lost and Zayn will gloat that that is why she's not allowed on her phone in bed. That and she accidentally dialed him and left a voicemail when they were having sex. Good thing is was just him and not anybody else.

"I'm sorry cute butt, come kiss me and don't be mad." She pouts her lips and makes kissy noises at him. To her delightful surprise she feels the bed dip and his lips are on hers, all wet and soft.

"You could have seen this cute butt naked making you breakfast in the morning, shame you ruined it." He is so conceited she has to laugh.

"I assure you they won't mind." Images of a... fivesome (?) flash through her head, Eleanor being there makes it kind of weird. Well. Weirder.

"They?" Zayn deadpans. Oh honey, did he actually think Louis would stay with out her entourage? Ha.

"They as in Louis, Harry, _and_  Eleanor?" His eyes are scrunched closed like he's fighting off an on coming headache.

"I miss them Zayn!" Niall whines. Louis. She misses Louis and of course Harry. Eleanor just so happens to be apart of that packaged deal now though.

"I want them gone early tomorrow. I didn't take a day off to spend with your friends."

Take a day off? Does that make him not the boss? He's so open about everything except his occupation. Maybe he's like a hit man or something. Niall's not ashamed of how arousing she finds that idea.

"Of course dad." She nods playfully. Zayn flutters his lashes against her cheek, tickling her with butterfly kisses.

"You called me Daddy earlier."

"Yeah, it just. Slipped, I guess." Daddy kink isn't really a big thing for her but sometimes it comes out naturally.

One time when she called Liam daddy she couldn't even walk to the bathroom when he was finished. She's pretty sure she squirted that night, she honestly doesn't remember because she kept blacking out.

It was a wild night.

"Don't be embarrassed." She's not. "I liked it." She knows.

Louis and her lovers come back sometime after two. Niall had just gotten comfortable with her belly propped on Zayn's back when her phone kept buzzing under the pillows on what's meant to be her side.

Niall's a cuddler sometimes, if Zayn has a problem with it he can sleep on his couch.

"Did you bring the goods?" Niall may be sleepy but she can pep up for Meximelt any time of any day.

"Whoop whoop!" Harry cheers instead of using real words, shoving the bag in her face.

"Shhh!" Niall snatches the bag, checking to make sure they got everything. "Zayn's sleeping."

"What?!" Louis is outraged by the news... it's two seventeen in the morning! What kind of person goes to sleep before the sun is up?

Odd how Niall used to be the same way, now she's the complete opposite. Maybe the life sucking demon in her uterus will change her schedule back.

"Shh! Be quiet like little mice so we don't wake the big angry man!" Eleanor whispers with her wrists bent in front of face, tip toeing in a circle by the door. Harry joins her and slips on literally nothing, making Louis laugh and clap loudly.

"Let's go little mice, to the basement." Niall snaps her fingers. Louis and the human mice follow her, hopefully they haven't already woken Zayn.

By time they get down stairs they're more settled. Niall puts on a movie (Super Bad purely because McLovin' is a legend) and they all fall asleep before it's over.

The cable box reads a little after five when Niall's awoken by Zayn. The first thing she notices is that his hair is messy and he's wearing glasses, the second is that he's topless. She's momentarily confused by the snoring until she looks around and sees that it's coming from Harry who's sprawled out on top of Louis, Eleanor on the opposite end of the sofa with her head next to Louis'.

Niall told them to pull out the mattress, fucking idiots.

"Come upstairs," Zayn tugs her hand.

Niall groans and accepts his help getting up, feeling like a zombie when she takes some covers from one of the empty chairs and covers the sleeping trio up. It's pretty cold down here with it being the basement and having the central air on. She's a good friend.

"Put pants on next time we have company." Zayn tells her as they walk through the kitchen on the way to their room.

"'S just Louis." Niall reminds him. She's showered with Louis, lived with her for years and came pretty close to hooking up with her on more than one occasion. Niall sleeping in her underwear is nothing Louis hasn't already seen.

"Don't care. Cover yourself up when there are people in my house."

Niall ignores him. She's tired and the baby is finally sleeping because it's still so it's not worth the fight.

Her effort was all for nothing though, because when she crawls back into Zayn's bed he puts his hands on her belly and shakes it a little. Before Niall can slap him away the baby kicks.

"Ugh fucking ass hole." She groans. Every time the baby moves it hurts like hell, mostly because she's tired so her body feels weaker.

Zayn doesn't seem to care, because he's a twat. He just traces the movements across her belly with his fingers, kissing where a particularly hard kick made her skin poke out.

"He's strong." Zayn mumbles. It's fucking five a.m..

"Why did you wake it up?" She half complains. A lot of her anger sort of dies down when Zayn puts his arm around her and massages her lower back with the perfect amount of pressure.

"Like when he kicks me."

Must be true, because he never complains when she puts her belly on his back before they go to sleep. So she'll let him off the hook, just this time

***

Her due date, her mother, and an additional four days came and went with no signs of labor. Maura stayed three days longer than she was supposed to and no matter how hard she tried Niall just couldn't get the baby out, but they've arranged for Maura to come back in about a month (Zayn's treat).

"Get. _Out_." Niall pokes her belly. The baby gives her a stubborn kick, probably telling her no.

"Don't rush him, I'd stay in you-"

"Don't." She cuts Zayn off before attempts he makes another dirty joke.

It's awkward and she's uncomfortable enough as it is. There's been like, this weird cramping in her crotch area but her water hasn't broken so they aren't contractions. At least she doesn't think they are.

Zayn rolls his eyes, petting the tops of her thighs with his finger tips.

"Names, what are we naming him?"

"Michael Buble for a boy Sasha Fierce for a girl." Niall responds immediately. Those are her two favorite people, it's only right she names her first born after one of them.

Zayn blinks. "Okay. No,"

"Beyonce is non negotiable."

"Fine, because there's a boy in here anyway." He spreads his hand possessively over her stomach. The baby kicks him for Niall, little guy must know mommy's too tired to do it herself.

"I want something unique but not like, completely bizarre or anything so he doesn't grow up hating us." Zayn bends to kiss her belly all over.

She was insecure about how odd her belly button looks but she had no choice but to get over that. Zayn's obsessed with touching it, he probably touches more than she does. But only because she prefers to talk to it and rub it in private, she talks to it all day when Zayn's at work. It's just something she's private about.

"Babe I already know what his names going to be. It's non negotiable." And she means it. He's going to probably steal this kid every time it's cute and conveniently have something to do when it's got a shitty diaper so she'd like to at least name the damn thing.

"Michael is basic and too common." He mentions, gently as to not hurt her feelings or probably get him yelled at.

"Buble is a legend, also non negotiable." With that being said, Niall raises the volume on the Law and Order rerun and tosses another gummy candy in her mouth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you have any questions or anything confused you please feel free to ask. xoxox


	12. Chapter 12

When it happens, Niall is surprisingly calm.

"Let's go, come on we have to go now!"

Zayn, not so much.

"Babe, chill. Let me finish my sandwich and I wanna take a shower and stuff."

Niall's water broke a few minutes ago, but it wasn't a lot and it doesn't hurt so she's not worried or anything. She is having contractions but she's had more painful period cramps than this, so it's fine.

"Well was it like, a lot? What happened?" Zayn's already calling someone, probably a doctor.

Niall shrugs, taking a bite of the sandwich. "It was like, a chunk of the plug and and some warm stuff that wasn't pee."

Parts of her mucus plug have been falling out for weeks, this time it was a huge glop so she figures she's in labor? Her due date was eight days ago, so that's probably the case.

"Are you in pain? Why aren't you screaming?" Zayn looks at her like she's crazy, scratching his head in genuine confusion. "You cried for three days about your nipples but actual labor and nothing?"

Niall licks her lips, finishing off the rest of her sandwich. "Listen darling. I'm going to go wash my vag, try to be ready by time I get out, yeah?"

When they arrived at the hospital Niall was dilated to eight and definitely feeling the pain. She had just enough time to get settled and call her Mam before it was time to push, and just three pushes later a beautiful baby boy was yanked from her crotch and pulled into the big bad world. Niall cried, Zayn cried, and Evander James Malik watched with sleepy eyes.

***

This was certainly not how Niall envisioned meeting Zayn's mother for the first time, with her tits out and her entire body drenched it sweat. Zayn's mom is gorgeous though, an older female version of Zayn. Too bad her attitude is the polar opposite.

"This is not ours, Zayn." Trisha shakes her head, peering down at the baby in Niall's arms. Like the rest of his family, she doesn't acknowledge Niall.

"Yes he is Mama, he's a Malik. His birth certificate is already filled out." Zayn, who always looks so sophisticated and mature looks and acts like a child around his mother, seeking approval and what not.

"No darling, that's not ours."

Evander looks like Niall, but he's too white to be Zayn's. He has Liam's nose and full lips, he's beautiful. Niall can't stop staring at him, she doesn't even care who's kid he is because he's hers regardless. He's perfect.

"Fix this Zayn, do the right thing and call me when it's done." Trisha offers her cheek for Zayn to kiss and leaves without another look at the baby, or obviously Niall.

"What's she talking about?" Niall gets what Trisha meant, that Evander doesn't have Malik blood but what did she mean about doing the right thing?

Zayn sighs, taking a seat in the chair beside her bed and runs his hands over his face. He looks stressed. Niall's too giddy to feel sympathy towards him. She just made a super cute little human, all good vibes her way.

She even gave him the last name Malik, because no matter what happens between them she genuinely believes Zayn can and will give him a good life. He deserves a good life.

"You look beautiful." He compliments, ignoring her question.

Niall just smiles at him. She's pretty tired but her new little dude is too fascinating to look away. This came out of her. She made this.

Evander is sleeping peacefully on her knees while she snaps pictures to send to everybody. It's two in the morning so all of her friends should be up, with the time difference and the call an hour ago her Mam is definitely up. She debates sending a picture to Liam. It's without a doubt his kid but if he wants nothing to do with it Niall's going to get angry. Not because of their past or anything but because how could someone turn down these little chubby cheeks? He's so perfect.

"I love you." Zayn says softly. It's a nice little moment, with all of them in the room. Something about it feels off though, and Niall isn't sure what.

"I love you too." Niall whispers back. "And you too, handsome man." She says to Evander, pinching his little foot.

Maybe it's just gas but Niall swears Evander smiles in his sleep and that feels like one of her bigger accomplishments. Probably the biggest.

***

Niall's life changed completely, but her and Zayn are both okay with it. Her day consists of cleaning (which she never used to do but now cannot stop doing) and feeding a fussy baby. Her fussy baby.

When she finally sits down after vacuuming for the third time today Normani grins at her. Evander is sleeping on her chest but she's got to keep patting his butt or he'll cry in his sleep. He's quite needy boy.

"Does he feel wet to you?" Niall asks, already getting up again.

"No, because you just changed him like ten minutes ago." Normani reminds her.

Niall bites her lip, hesitantly sitting back down. She doesn't want Evander to get a rash so she tries to change him at least every forty minutes.

"How's Zayn with him? He's what, like two, three weeks? I'm a terrible aunt." Normani pouts, kissing the baby's little head. All Niall can process right now is that she better not be wearing lip gloss while she's putting them things on his head.

"Zayn's good." The blonde nods, looking away from them before she goes crazy.

"He always knows what to do because he's a pretty fussy baby, like even in his sleep he whines. At first that made me cry but Zayn was like, 'just try feeding him even though he's sleeping', worked too."

Evander was born sixteen days ago and he's already gained two pounds since then, making him nine pounds and some odd ounces. Chubby baby don't miss no meals.

"He's so cute and fat." Normani squeezes him, his little arms jerk in his sleep.

It's still early in the day, around two but Zayn should be home soon. He had some crap to go take care of, he wasn't specific and Niall didn't ask.

"Okay. Uh uh, Niall come get him."

She doesn't need to be told twice, so she's already on the move but. "Why? What's wrong?"

"You didn't hear that? He just farted on my hand, uh uh."

When Niall grabs the baby he immediately swings his arms and makes faces like he's about to cry but when Niall lays his head on her boob he smacks his lips and goes back to sleep. He's so cool.

Normani comes back from washing her hands and announces she has to go, she kisses Niall and the baby goodbye and jets out but luckily Zayn's coming in as she's running out.

As usual Zayn doesn't say anything to her, he just grabs the baby for some kisses and sits next to her.

"Did you have a good day bubba? Tell me all about what Mama did, tell me everything, it's okay now."

Niall rolls her eyes, Evander was sleeping until Zayn woke him up for this nonsense.

On his lap, Evander smacks his lips and his eyes go wide, staring at Zayn in amazement. That's probably genetics because Niall does that all the time.

"Hello to you too." Niall leans over to kiss Zayn's cheek.

"Hey. Anybody else stop by or just her?" Evander is falling asleep again but he keeps twitching his legs because Zayn's tickling his foot.

"Just her."

Zayn hums. "What times your ma getting in?"

Maura was supposed to be here this morning but she cancelled last minute. Niall's a little bummed but whatever, she's not going to dwell.

"She's not. Greg threw a fit so she's not coming."

"We'll go there, when he's old enough to fly." Zayn promises quietly.

Niall lays her head on Zayn's shoulder and admires Evander in all his beauty. Her new life's not so bad.

***

Naturally when things are going good for her Niall finds a way to fuck it all up. At least just for herself.

  
She was messing around on Facebook (absolutely not spying) when she noticed Liam was online, even though they aren't friends on there. His picture is still an old one of him at the gym and his cover photo is of bat man so it was hard to tell if what Louis told her about him being single or not was true. Anyway, she sent him a message. Just a simple "hi" she expected him to read and not reply to.

Except, he did reply. And that turned into them texting, and from there they were talking on the phone. Niall knew it was wrong even if it didn't feel wrong because she felt sort of guilty hiding it from Zayn.

/"Hey didn't you tell me you were having a girl though?"/ Liam asks. They've been texting all morning and he had some free time so he called her. Luckily Zayn's at work so it's just her and Evander there.

"The doctors told me it was a girl. He wouldn't open his legs." Niall explains.

Evander is sleeping in his bouncer on the counter while Niall washes his bottles out in the sink.

_"Definitely doesn't get that from you then, huh?"_

"Piss off!" He basically just called her a slag but his laugh has her smiling.

_"I'm just kidding, you know that."_

"Hi babe." Zayn kisses the back of her neck, she startles and nearly drops her phone in the sink. She hadn't even heard him come in! "Who's that?"

Zayn's already taking Evander out of the bouncer to greet him hello.

 _"Is that Zayn? Do you have to go?"_  Liam asks.

"It's Greg," Niall whispers to Zayn. "Yeah _Greg_  I'll talk to you later, okay?"

She hears Liam sigh through the phone. Zayn's unbothered, getting left over Chinese from the fridge with the baby in his other arm.

_"Alright babe, text me when you want to talk."_

"Greg huh?" Zayn asks after Niall's already hung up.

Niall gets a text from Liam saying it was nice talking to her, Zayn's phone buzzing the same time hers does.

"As in your brother Greg?"

Evander fusses and Niall takes him, sitting at the table with Zayn to feed him. He makes little grunting noises and sucks like he hasn't eaten is weeks, little piggy.

"Only Greg I know. How was work?"

She doesn't even know if he actually goes to work. He gets up and puts a suit on and comes back at literally any hour of the day. He never talks about work and honestly Niall doesn't care to ask. Especially since she's had the baby, things have been kind of awkward between them. They're very... distant.

Maybe sex was an important part of their relationship, obviously they haven't been able to do anything like that. She knows it's her fault though, because he's been trying. It's just not the same.

"I trust you." He says, mouth full of rice. "Because you'd never lie to me."

Shit.

Later that night when they're in bed, Niall lays down and Zayn cuddles up next to her like he always does. He kisses her shoulder, trailing up to her neck. The stubble on his chin tickles her.

"I love you," he tells her, face buried in her neck. She rubs his head, sleepy. She's been up all day, since like eight thirty and Evander hasn't slept more than twenty minutes at a time all day. She's exhausted.

"I love you too Zayn." She yawns.

Evander is grunting in his sleep in the bassinet next to their bed. Sometimes Zayn will get up with him but Niall prefers to be the one to do it. She's breastfeeding and he absolutely will not take a bottle anyway so she kind of has to. It just feels like Zayn is in the way? He helps but she doesn't want him to. Evan is her baby and she doesn't want to share him.

Zayn keeps kissing her neck, and her ear and her cheek. "Will you marry me?"

Niall snorts. "What?" She still wears the promise ring, what more does he want from her?

"I'm serious. There's a ring on your table, I want make an honest woman out of you."

She turns her head and sure enough there is a ring, sitting in an open box on display. It's like the promise ring only prettier. It has more diamonds, big diamonds. The ring she's already wearing has four, this one is littered with them.

"Oh my god."

She doesn't, this isn't a good time. But she can't exactly say no. That will make things awkward. She knew she'd end up marrying him she just didn't think it'd be so soon.

"Do you like it? I designed it myself three days after we got home. When you named him Malik," Zayn shakes his head. "It made me fall even deeper in love with you. I don't care about my mothers wishes or money, I just want you and our son. Marry me, please marry me."

With wide eyes Niall nods, can't do anything but nod. He wants to give her and her son a good life, that's all she's ever wanted anyway. Someone to take care of her financially. Wouldn't make sense for her not to say yes.

Zayn grins and kisses her, swapping the promise ring for the engagement ring.

She's still too sore intercourse and too tired for anything else, she tells Zayn this and he says he understands. He falls asleep with his arm around her waist, holding her hand. She doesn't fall asleep until after she feeds Evander sometime after two in the morning.

***

Louis ignores Niall's calls and texts, all of them. Her and her spouses came by to see Evander about a week after he was born and haven't bothered to come back since. It sucks, and Niall's bummed but life won't wait for Niall and Niall's not going to wait for Louis. Evander just turned four months two days ago, and Niall's started school again about a month ago.

The old her wouldn't have thought twice about school when she's going to marry someone with a bank account as fat as Zayn's but the new her wants to just because. Just in case, more like. Anything could happen and her and Evander gave adapted to a luxury life style. Sort of.

"Hi babe, how was school?" Zayn asks when he hears Niall come in. He's sitting on the couch watching tv with Evander, who's sucking on both of his thumbs and an index finger.

Poor babes probably starving, it's a struggle to get him to take a bottle since Niall only breastfed since the beginning. She felt bad when she tried, he seemed so peaceful feeding from her.

"It was alright. I love driving though, thank you again for getting my truck." It's some kind of fancy Cadillac Escalade that roughly translates to 'truck' in Niall's language.

Evander starts fussing when he hears her voice, everything Zayn does to try to calm him just makes him cry harder.

"Was he fine until he heard me?" Niall asks amused. She made the mistake of wearing jeans today (she's still carrying baby weight) and she's already tugging them off to sit on the couch in her panties.

"Yeah, he was just chilling. Smart boy knows when his milk machine is home."

Now that Evander is sat on Zayn's lap facing Niall he just gives sad eyes and smacks his lips, flinging his arms like he's trying to rush her.

"Where you able to feed him at all?" Niall's trying her hair back before stripping to tank top so she can feed him.

"I had to squirt it in his mouth, like to the side kind of so he didn't choke."

Evander smiles all happy at Niall before he latches on, suckling away with little grunts.

"Hi handsome." She smiles back, he giggles while he sucks.

Zayn comes back from the bedroom with a pair of her shorts and a different top for her to change into when the baby is done eating.

"Mama missed you so much." Niall rubs his little fuzzy hairs with her free hand. "I'm so sorry of left you with smelly old daddy, do you forgive me?"

Zayn nudges her, rolling his eyes fondly. Niall still feels kind of weird sharing Evander with someone else but she has to admit it's pretty cute how proud Zayn gets when she refers to him as dad, even if his entire family disapproves. Except Doniya, she's been by to see the baby and make snide comments to Zayn when she thinks Niall isn't listening quite a few times.

They're all pretty pissed Evander isn't biologically Zayn's, Niall doesn't give a shit.

"You going to work today?" Niall has classes three days a week, one for eight hours and the others for just three. On the eight hour days Zayn drives to the school so Niall can feed the baby in the back seat. He said no about the three hour days, even after a bribe blow job.

Zayn yawns and checks the time on his phone. It's a little after one.

"Nah. Just wanna chill with you for a bit."

"Awwww." Niall coos, puckering her lips for a kiss which he happily gives her.

"Miss you sometimes, just hanging out with you and stuff. You're always busy or sleepy now."

That makes her feel bad because she was all up his ass, clinging to him at every opportunity up until the baby was born. Then she kinda started ignoring him, especially when she was talking to Liam (who is still very much married _Louis_ ).

"I miss you too baby, s'just a little different now that he's here and I'm in back in college. But me Mam's proud of that, did I tell you? She cried and told me she's proud of me." Niall beams. Zayn indulges in her, smiling like that's the best news he's ever heard.

He's so supportive, it's hard to get used to. All her life she's hung out with people who either didn't care if she succeeded or enjoyed when she failed. Zayn's a breath of fresh air and sometimes she forgets that, forgets how lovely he really is.

"I really love you, you know?" Maybe it's just because she's in the moment, feeling appreciative and fond as fuck but she just felt the urge to let him know.

Life would be so much easier if she felt this way all the time instead of just sometimes.

Zayn's smile changes, from excited to softer. "I love you too babe."

Evander is sucking more on his fingers now than her nipple, so she sits him up and puts her boob away.

"Like, a lot." It's important that he knows how she feels (while she still feels it).

She pats Evander's back, coaxing him to burp. One of his many awesome qualities is that he's a chubby baby, meaning he rarely if ever spits up. Which is awesome cause that shits fuckin' gross.

"Okay what do you want?" Zayn asks, playfully exasperated.

"Wait until my chunky baby takes a nap." She says in her baby voice, as predicted Evander giggles around his fingers. "I'll show you what I want, _daddy_."

***

Evander just fell asleep, that gives Niall hopefully a solid forty or so minutes before he wakes up hungry again so she doesn't have much time to waste. She strapped Evan in the bouncer and went to find Zayn, who's standing in the kitchen ready the back of a pack of cookies he hopefully plans to make. He doesn't notice her until she's on her knees in front of him pulling down his sweats.

"Oh, hey," he sounds equally surprised as he does pleased.

Niall tugs his cock twice, getting it somewhat awake before she swallows the entire length into her mouth. She sucks lightly, humming as he fattens up nicely on her tongue.

"Can I fuck you?" Zayn breathes, holding the stray hairs that fell out of Niall's ponytail away from her face. She flutters her lashes, bobbing her head faster with her tongue flattened on the vein underneath his cock and pulls off of him with a wet slurp.

"Tonight baby," Niall mouth at his balls while she traces her thumb around his tip. "I want you to fuck me so hard later, need you last a long time so I can come on your cock."

Zayn groans, nodding fiercely. "Gonna fuck you so good." He promises.

Niall takes him in as far as she can without choking, hallowing her cheeks and bobbing her head fast. It doesn't take long, less than ten minutes before he's coming in her mouth. She kisses his cock one last time before she pulls up his pants and rinses her mouth in the sink.

"Hate standing up when you give me head." Zayn mentions, leaning against the counter.

Niall raises an eyebrow at him because honestly? He's really complaining?

"My legs always shake," he grabs her hand and puts it on his thigh, sure enough it's trembling.

"You're so cute." Niall pecks his lips, ignoring the scrunch of his nose as she heads off towards the shower.

When she gets out Zayn's laying on the couch with Evander sitting on his belly, laughing as Zayn pulls faces at him. Niall takes a picture, then retakes it because the first one was just focused on her baby before she goes to sit by Zayn's feet.

"So I know it's a bit early," Zayn starts, bouncing Evan on his stomach. "But like, for the wedding I was thinking something small so I have an excuse not to invite my family."

Niall snorts. She doesn't think about the wedding. Girls as school always ask her about it, after the whole " _you're engaged to Zayn Malik_?!"thing they always ask where she's having the wedding and if they want more kids ans blah blah blah. Zayn's hot but she doesn't get how he's popular among college girls. He's ten years her senior, and she's two or three years older than most of the girls who ask.

"Whatever you want baby, I'd like my mommy to be there but if you want it just us that's fine."

Evander starts whining the second Niall's starts talking and all Zayn has to do is turn him around so he can see Niall, then the fat baby turns into a smiley, giggly little flirt. He sure does love his mama, which is totally what Niall expected up until the minute she held him.

"She's more than welcome here when ever she wants, you know that."

Maura hasn't had an opportunity to come out recently and it really sucks because now that she's a mom Niall needs her own more than ever. Phone calls and an occasional face time will do for now though.

"I wish she could live with us, or we could live with her." Niall thinks out loud, a little sad.

Maura will never not live in Ireland and it wouldn't be fair to expect Zayn to up and move there. Plus, Niall's got a life in America. Friends and school and a Liam.

(Kind of a Liam. They had kind of a fight and Niall swears she never wants anything to do with him ever again because he's such a fucking prick honestly.) (He texts her at least twice a week to see if she's still mad.) (She pretends to be so he'll be extra kiss-assy to her.)

"You don't like Florida?" Zayn asks. A majority of his immediate family is all here because of some business with his dad? Which may possibly be Zayn's work... She's not one hundred percent sure yet. "We can move, in a few years. I'd like to stay in America though."

Niall loves Florida, it's been her home for a long time and America is great but. If she has to live in America Florida is her number one choice.

"One step at a time baby." Her life is moving so fast. One minute she's in Catholic school in Mullingar the next she's in America, as a fucking mom and wife to be.

Niall grabs her drooly baby from her fiance (for real this time) and gives his chubby little cheeks kisses. His fat butt was born at seven pounds and gained eleven in just four months. He must have his dad's metabolism. (If Liam didn't work at a gym...)

"I know, I know. Just excited about our future." Zayn grins.

"Yeah, me too." Niall lies. She's scared shitless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anything confuses you please ask. I'll edit this later. :-) xox


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